A giant GTPase, very large inducible GTPase-1, is inducible by IFNs

J Immunol. 2003 Aug 1;171(3):1255-65. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.3.1255.

Abstract

The complex, partially overlapping, cellular responses to IFN type I (IFN-alpha and -beta) and IFN type II (IFN-gamma) involve several hundred genes that can be largely classified in terms of specific cellular programs functional in innate and adaptive immunity. Among these programs are previously unconsidered mechanisms of cell-autonomous resistance against various pathogens mediated by dedicated, largely novel families of GTPases. We report here the identification and characterization of a new GTPase family that contributes to the cellular response to both type I and type II IFNs. We name this family the very large inducible GTPases (VLIGs). The prototype VLIG, VLIG-1, is a strongly IFN-inducible, soluble, cytosolic and nuclear protein of 280 kDa. The open reading frame of VLIG-1 is encoded on a single very large exon, and outside the canonical GTP-binding motifs, sequence and structural prediction suggest a unique family without significant relationship to other known protein families. Within the GTPase superfamily the VLIG family is more closely related to IFN-inducible GTPases mediating cell-autonomous resistance than to other GTPase families. In addition, we provide evidence that VLIG-1 is polymorphic in mice of different genetic backgrounds and is a member of a small gene family on mouse chromosome 7 with a conserved homologue located on human chromosome 11.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / genetics
  • Cloning, Molecular / methods
  • Cytokines / pharmacology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / biosynthesis*
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / genetics*
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / isolation & purification
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology*
  • Guanine Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Guanosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / genetics
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-1
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
  • Interferons / physiology*
  • Listeriosis / enzymology
  • Listeriosis / immunology
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Liver / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family
  • Nuclear Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • Organ Specificity / immunology
  • Phosphoproteins / physiology
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Species Specificity
  • Subcellular Fractions / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / physiology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Guanine Nucleotides
  • IRF1 protein, human
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-1
  • Irf1 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Guanosine Triphosphate
  • Interferons
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • GVINP1 protein, human

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AY167972
  • GENBANK/AY167973
  • GENBANK/AY167974