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Functional characterization of bat IRF1 in IFN induction
Qiuju Liu1, Menglu Zhang1, Jie Wang1
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Developmental and Comparative Immunology
|August 6, 2022
Summary
This study identified the bat IRF1 gene and found it crucial for interferon production. The bat IRF1 protein, essential for antiviral defense, activates interferon-beta expression via its DNA binding domain.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Bats host zoonotic viruses but rarely show disease symptoms.
- Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are key in antiviral responses.
- The specific roles of bat IRFs, including IRF1, are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and characterize the Tadarida brasiliensis IRF1 (TbIRF1) gene.
- To investigate the function of bat IRF1 in antiviral immunity.
- To determine the role of specific TbIRF1 domains in interferon induction.
Main Methods:
- Gene cloning and bioinformatics analysis of TbIRF1.
- Infection of bat cells (TB 1 Lu) with RNA viruses (NDV-GFP, AIV, VSV-GFP).
- Measurement of IFNβ, PKR, and OAS1 expression; TbIRF1 overexpression studies; functional domain deletion analysis.
Main Results:
- Bat IRF1 showed low sequence similarity to other species' IRF1.
- Viral infection upregulated TbIRF1 expression and induced IFNβ, PKR, and OAS1.
- TbIRF1 overexpression dose-dependently activated IFNβ promoter activity.
- The DNA binding domain (DBD) of TbIRF1 is essential for IFNβ induction.
Conclusions:
- The first bat IRF1 gene was successfully cloned and characterized.
- Bat IRF1 plays a significant role in the innate immune response to viral infections.
- TbIRF1 functions in interferon induction, mediated by its DNA binding domain.
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