Journal article

Publication year: 2011

Pages: 137-U46

Journal: Nature Immunology

Volume number: 12

Issue number: 2

ISSN: 1529-2908

eISSN: 1529-2916

Open access status: Green

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1979

Publisher: Nature Research

Abstract: 
The 5' cap structures of higher eukaryote mRNAs have ribose 2'-O-methylation. Likewise, many viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm of eukaryotes have evolved 2'-O-methyltransferases to autonomously modify their mRNAs. However, a defined biological role for 2'-O-methylation of mRNA remains elusive. Here we show that 2'-O-methylation of viral mRNA was critically involved in subverting the induction of type I interferon. We demonstrate that human and mouse coronavirus mutants lacking 2'-O-methyltransferase activity induced higher expression of type I interferon and were highly sensitive to type I interferon. Notably, the induction of type I interferon by viruses deficient in 2'-O-methyltransferase was dependent on the cytoplasmic RNA sensor Mda5. This link between Mda5-mediated sensing of viral RNA and 2'-O-methylation of mRNA suggests that RNA modifications such as 2'-O-methylation provide a molecular signature for the discrimination of self and non-self mRNA.

Harvard Citation style: Zuest, R., Cervantes-Barragan, L., Habjan, M., Maier, R., Neuman, B., Ziebuhr, J., et al. (2011) Ribose 2′-O-methylation provides a molecular signature for the distinction of self and non-self mRNA dependent on the RNA sensor Mda5, Nature Immunology, 12(2), pp. 137-U46. https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1979

APA Citation style: Zuest, R., Cervantes-Barragan, L., Habjan, M., Maier, R., Neuman, B., Ziebuhr, J., Szretter, K., Baker, S., Barchet, W., Diamond, M., Siddell, S., Ludewig, B., & Thiel, V. (2011). Ribose 2′-O-methylation provides a molecular signature for the distinction of self and non-self mRNA dependent on the RNA sensor Mda5. Nature Immunology. 12(2), 137-U46. https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1979