TY - JOUR
T1 - Interferon-induced rat mx proteins confer resistance to rift valley fever virus and other arthropod-borne viruses
AU - Sandrock, M.
AU - Frese, M.
AU - Haller, O.
AU - Kochs, G.
PY - 2001/10/22
Y1 - 2001/10/22
N2 - Mx proteins belong to the interferon (IFN)-induced antiviral defense. The rat genome contains threeMx genes, ratMx1, ratMx2, and ratMx3. The Mx gene products differ in their subcellular localization and antiviral specificity. The nuclear ratMx1 protein confers resistance to influenza A virus, and the cytoplasmic ratMx2 is active against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), whereas the cytoplasmic ratMx3 protein is antivirally inactive. To investigate the antiviral potential of the rat Mx proteins against arboviruses, a phylogenetically diverse group of viruses that frequently infect rodents, we studied the replication of LaCrosse virus (LACV). Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) (both family Bunyaviridae), and Thogoto virus (THOV) (family Orthomyxoviridae). To that end, we used transfected Vero cells constitutively expressing one of the rat Mx proteins. We observed that the antiviral activity of rat Mx proteins against these arboviruses correlates with their intracellular localization: ratMx1 is active against THOV, which replicates in the nucleus, whereas ratMx2 inhibits bunya-viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm. The results indicate that rats have evolved two Mx proteins to efficiently control viruses with different replication strategies.
AB - Mx proteins belong to the interferon (IFN)-induced antiviral defense. The rat genome contains threeMx genes, ratMx1, ratMx2, and ratMx3. The Mx gene products differ in their subcellular localization and antiviral specificity. The nuclear ratMx1 protein confers resistance to influenza A virus, and the cytoplasmic ratMx2 is active against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), whereas the cytoplasmic ratMx3 protein is antivirally inactive. To investigate the antiviral potential of the rat Mx proteins against arboviruses, a phylogenetically diverse group of viruses that frequently infect rodents, we studied the replication of LaCrosse virus (LACV). Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) (both family Bunyaviridae), and Thogoto virus (THOV) (family Orthomyxoviridae). To that end, we used transfected Vero cells constitutively expressing one of the rat Mx proteins. We observed that the antiviral activity of rat Mx proteins against these arboviruses correlates with their intracellular localization: ratMx1 is active against THOV, which replicates in the nucleus, whereas ratMx2 inhibits bunya-viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm. The results indicate that rats have evolved two Mx proteins to efficiently control viruses with different replication strategies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034792149&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/107999001753124390
DO - 10.1089/107999001753124390
M3 - Article
C2 - 11576460
AN - SCOPUS:0034792149
SN - 1079-9907
VL - 21
SP - 663
EP - 668
JO - Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research
JF - Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research
IS - 9
ER -