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Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Studying RNA Interactors of Protein Kinase RNA-Activated during the Mammalian Cell Cycle
Published on: March 5, 2019
Tilapia dsRNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR): An interferon-induced antiviral effector with translation inhibition
Zhen Gan1, Jun Cheng2, Jing Hou3
1Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen, 518120, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Fishery, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animal Health Assessment, And Shenzhen Public Service Platform for Evaluation of Marine Economic Animal Seedings, Shenzhen, 518120, China.
Abstract:
The dsRNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR) is one of key antiviral effectors induced by interferons (IFNs), and its functions are largely unknown in tilapia, an important commercial fish species suffering from several viral infectious diseases. In the present study, a PKR gene named On-PKR was identified and cloned from Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. On-PKR gene was constitutively expressed in all tissues examined, with the highest expression level observed in head kidney and liver, and was rapidly induced in all organs/tissues tested following the stimulation of poly(I:C). Importantly, the expression of On-PKR is induced by group I and group II IFNs with distinct induction kinetics in vivo: group I IFN elicits a relative delayed but sustained induction of On-PKR, whereas group II IFN triggers a rapid and transient expression of On-PKR. Moreover, the overexpression of On-PKR has been proven to inhibit the protein translation and virus replication in fish cells. The present study thus contributes to a better understanding of the functions of antiviral effectors in tilapia, and may provide clues for the prevention and therapy of viral diseases in fish.
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