Publications by authors named "Sophia B Scobell"
Article Synopsis
- Evolutionary arms races occur between host and viral proteins, where genetic variants are constantly evolving, particularly in proteins like PKR that play a role in the immune response against viruses.
- PKR acts as a detector of viral replication and combats it by inhibiting protein synthesis, but it also faces challenges from viral antagonists that try to disable its function.
- Research into PKR's variants revealed that it has rapidly changing regions that can resist viral antagonists, offering insights into how PKR can adapt and maintain its effectiveness against evolving viral threats.
Article Synopsis
- Evolutionary arms races happen at the interaction points between host proteins and viruses, leading to a constant search for genetic changes that help maintain function.
- Protein kinase R (PKR) is part of the mammalian immune system that detects viral activity and prevents replication by inhibiting protein synthesis, but it faces challenges from viral antagonists like poxvirus K3 that mimic its natural substrate.
- Research on 426 genetic variants of PKR showed that while some variants became resistant to the K3 inhibitor, others compromised PKR's function, highlighting the protein's adaptability in responding to viral threats while maintaining essential functions.
