An active TRIM5 protein in rabbits indicates a common antiviral ancestor for mammalian TRIM5 proteins.

ABSTRACT: The recent identification of antiretroviral tripartite motif-bearing restriction factors that protect against retroviral infection has revealed a novel branch of innate immunity. The factors target the retroviral capsid and inhibit infectivity soon after the capsid has entered the cytoplasm by an incompletely characterized mechanism. Restriction is species specific. For example, TRIM5alpha from Old World monkeys, but not humans, restricts human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. Here, we identify an antiviral TRIM5 molecule in rabbits that is closely related to antiviral TRIM5 of both primates and cattle. We demonstrate that the rabbit TRIM5 protein is active against divergent retroviruses and leads to a strong block to viral DNA synthesis and infectivity. Furthermore, we show that a

SUBMITTER: Schaller T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2168759 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature