Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Vaccinia Virus Infection & Temporal Analysis of Virus Gene Expression: Part 1
Published on: April 8, 2009
How Does Vaccinia Virus Interfere With Interferon?
Geoffrey L Smith1, Callum Talbot-Cooper1, Yongxu Lu1
1University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Interferons (IFNs) are secreted glycoproteins that are produced by cells in response to virus infection and other stimuli and induce an antiviral state in cells bearing IFN receptors. In this way, IFNs restrict virus replication and spread before an adaptive immune response is developed. Viruses are very sensitive to the effects of IFNs and consequently have evolved many strategies to interfere with interferon. This is particularly well illustrated by poxviruses, which have large dsDNA genomes and encode hundreds of proteins. Vaccinia virus is the prototypic poxvirus and expresses many proteins that interfere with IFN and are considered in this review. These proteins act either inside or outside the cell and within the cytoplasm or nucleus. They function by restricting the production of IFN by blocking the signaling pathways leading to transcription of IFN genes, stopping IFNs binding to their receptors, blocking IFN-induced signal transduction leading to expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), or inhibiting the antiviral activity of ISG products.
Related Concept Videos
Interference and Diffraction
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
What are Viruses?
Interference and Decay
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Sound Waves: Interference
Interference and Superposition of Waves
Interference occurs in mechanical waves, such as sound waves, waves on a string, and surface water waves. Mechanical waves correspond to the physical displacement of particles. Hence,...

