Crosstalk between the cGAS DNA sensor and Beclin-1 autophagy protein shapes innate antimicrobial immune responses.

ABSTRACT: Robust immune responses are essential for eliminating pathogens but must be metered to avoid prolonged immune activation and potential host damage. Upon recognition of microbial DNA, the cytosolic DNA sensor cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthetase (cGAS) produces the second messenger cGAMP to initiate the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway and subsequent interferon (IFN) production. We report that the direct interaction between cGAS and the Beclin-1 autophagy protein not only suppresses cGAMP synthesis to halt IFN production upon double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) stimulation or herpes simplex virus-1 infection, but also enhances autophagy-mediated degradation of cytosolic pathogen DNA to prevent excessive cGAS activation and persistent immune stimulation. Specifically, this interaction rel

SUBMITTER: Liang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3950946 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature