Key result
Viperin catalyzes the conversion of CTP to ddhCTP, which causes premature termination of RNA synthesis by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of some viruses.
Why the study?
Viperin possesses activity against numerous viruses via multiple proposed mechanisms, but its direct enzymatic antiviral mechanism in human cells was only recently linked to the production of ddhCTP.
This review highlights the discovery that viperin exerts its antiviral effects by producing ddhCTP, a ribonucleotide that terminates viral RNA synthesis.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Viperin’s CTP-to-ddhCTP catalysis defines a new restriction mechanism; leaves open antiviral drug targeting pending validation.
Most cells respond to viral infections by activating innate immune pathways that lead to the induction of antiviral restriction factors. One such factor, viperin, was discovered almost two decades ago based on its induction during viral infection. Since then, viperin has been shown to possess activity against numerous viruses via multiple proposed mechanisms. Most recently, however, viperin was demonstrated to catalyze the conversion of cytidine triphosphate (CTP) to 3'-deoxy-3',4'-didehydro-CTP (ddhCTP), a previously unknown ribonucleotide. Incorporation of ddhCTP causes premature termination of RNA synthesis by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of some viruses. To date, production of ddhCTP by viperin represents the only activity of viperin that links its enzymatic activity directly to an antiviral mechanism in human cells. This review examines the multiple antiviral mechanisms and biological functions attributed to viperin.
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Rivera-Serrano et al. (2020) conducted a review in Viral infections. Viperin was evaluated. Viperin catalyzes the conversion of CTP to ddhCTP, which causes premature termination of RNA synthesis by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of some viruses.
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