Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 27, 2025

A High Resolution Method to Monitor Phosphorylation-dependent Activation of IRF3
Published on: January 24, 2016
The Role of Structure in the Biology of Interferon Signaling
1Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
Abstract:
Interferons (IFNs) are a family of cytokines with the unique ability to induce cell intrinsic programs that enhance resistance to viral infection. Induction of an antiviral state at the cell, tissue, organ, and organismal level is performed by three distinct IFN families, designated as Type-I, Type-II, and Type-III IFNs. Overall, there are 21 human IFNs, (16 type-I, 12 IFNαs, IFNβ, IFNϵ, IFNκ, and IFNω; 1 type-II, IFNγ; and 4 type-III, IFNλ1, IFNλ2, IFNλ3, and IFNλ4), that induce pleotropic cellular activities essential for innate and adaptive immune responses against virus and other pathogens. IFN signaling is initiated by binding to distinct heterodimeric receptor complexes. The three-dimensional structures of the type-I (IFNα/IFNAR1/IFNAR2), type-II (IFNγ/IFNGR1/IFNGR2), and type-III (IFNλ3/IFNλR1/IL10R2) signaling complexes have been determined. Here, we highlight similar and unique features of the IFNs, their cell surface complexes and discuss their role in inducing downstream IFN signaling responses.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Viral Structure
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
Assembly of Signaling Complexes
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...

