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Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production
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Viral dUTPases: Modulators of Innate Immunity
Maria Eugenia Ariza1,2, Brandon Cox2, Britney Martinez2
1Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Biomolecules
|February 25, 2022
Summary
Deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolases (dUTPases) prevent DNA uracilation, maintaining genomic integrity. Some dUTPases also modulate the host innate immune response, revealing novel functions beyond enzymatic activity.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase) is crucial for genomic stability by preventing DNA uracilation.
- dUTPases hydrolyze dUTP to dUMP, maintaining a low dUTP/dTTP ratio essential for DNA synthesis and integrity.
- Viral dUTPases are also encoded by many mammalian DNA viruses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the classical enzymatic functions of dUTPases.
- To explore novel, non-enzymatic roles of dUTPases.
- To summarize evidence for dUTPase modulation of host innate immunity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on dUTPase function.
- Analysis of enzymatic mechanisms of dUTP hydrolysis.
- Examination of studies investigating dUTPase interactions with host immune factors.
Main Results:
- dUTPases are essential metalloenzymes preventing dUTP incorporation into DNA.
- Beyond DNA metabolism, certain dUTPases exhibit immunomodulatory activities.
- These novel functions impact the host's innate immune response.
Conclusions:
- dUTPases play a dual role in maintaining genomic integrity and modulating innate immunity.
- Understanding these diverse functions is critical for comprehending host-pathogen interactions.
- Further research into non-enzymatic dUTPase activities may reveal new therapeutic targets.
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