IL-18 induces IFN-gamma and NK cell cytotoxicity, making it a logical target for viral antagonism of host defense. We demonstrate that the ectromelia poxvirus p13 protein, bearing homology to the mammalian IL-18 binding protein, binds IL-18, and inhibits its activity in vitro. Binding of IL-18 to the viral p13 protein was compared with binding to the cellular IL-18R. The dissociation constant of p13 for murine IL-18 is 5 nM, compared with 0.2 nM for the cellular receptor heterodimer. Mice infected with a p13 deletion mutant of ectromelia virus had elevated cytotoxicity for YAC-1 tumor cell targets compared with control animals. Additionally, the p13 deletion mutant virus exhibited decreased levels of infectivity. Our data suggest that inactivation of IL-18, and subsequent impairment of NK cell cytotoxicity, may be one mechanism by which ectromelia evades the host immune response.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.164.6.3246 | DOI Listing |
Biochemistry
January 2025
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.
In many bacteria, the location of the mRNA start codon is determined by a short ribosome binding site sequence that base pairs with the 3'-end of 16S rRNA (rRNA) in the 30S subunit. Many groups have changed these short sequences, termed the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence in the mRNA and the anti-Shine-Dalgarno (ASD) sequence in 16S rRNA, to create "orthogonal" ribosomes to enable the synthesis of orthogonal polymers in the presence of the endogenous translation machinery. However, orthogonal ribosomes are prone to SD-independent translation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Nano
January 2025
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585, Singapore.
Metal nanoclusters (NCs), owing to their atomic precision and unique molecule-like properties, have gained widespread attention for applications ranging from catalysis to bioimaging. In recent years, proteins, with their hierarchical structures and diverse functionalities, have emerged as good candidates for functionalizing metal NCs, rendering metal NC-protein conjugates with combined and even synergistically enhanced properties featured by both components. In this Perspective, we explore key questions regarding why proteins serve as complementary partners for metal NCs, the methodologies available for conjugating proteins with metal NCs, and the characterization techniques necessary to elucidate the structures and interactions within this emerging bionano system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant Physiol
January 2025
School of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China.
Cold stress severely impacts the quality and yield of grapevine (Vitis L.). In this study, we extend our previous work to elucidate the role and regulatory mechanisms of Vitis amurensis MYB transcription factor 4a (VaMYB4a) in grapevine's response to cold stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant Physiol
January 2025
Anhui Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Quality Biology, School of Horticulture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, P.R. China.
Kiwifruit bacterial canker, a highly destructive disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), seriously affects kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) production.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS Biol
January 2025
School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
The organization of the human genome in space and time is critical for transcriptional regulation and cell fate determination. However, robust methods for tracking genome organization or genomic interactions over time in living cells are lacking. Here, we developed a multicolor DNA labeling system, ParSite, to simultaneously track triple genomic loci in the U2OS cells.
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