Egyptian Rousette IFN-ω Subtypes Elicit Distinct Antiviral Effects and Transcriptional Responses in Conspecific Cells.

ABSTRACT: Bats host a number of viruses that cause severe disease in humans without experiencing overt symptoms of disease themselves. While the mechanisms underlying this ability to avoid sickness are not known, deep sequencing studies of bat genomes have uncovered genetic adaptations that may have functional importance in the antiviral response of these animals. Egyptian rousette bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) are the natural reservoir hosts of Marburg virus (MARV). In contrast to humans, these bats do not become sick when infected with MARV. A striking difference to the human genome is that Egyptian rousettes have an expanded repertoire of IFNW genes. To probe the biological implications of this expansion, we synthesized IFN-ω4 and IFN-ω9 proteins and tested their antiviral activity in Egypt

SUBMITTER: Pavlovich SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7083018 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature