title: Interferon-inducible mouse Mx1 protein that confers resistance to influenza virus is GTPase.
abstract: The murine Mx1 protein is an interferon-inducible nuclear protein and confers resistance to influenza virus infection even though the resistance mechanism is yet unclear. The Mx1 protein contains a tripartite GTP-binding domain consisting of GXXXXGKS, DXXG, and T/NKXD motifs. In the GTPase gene superfamily such as p21ras protein, signal-transducing G protein, and translation elongation factor, the GTPase activity plays a key role in each protein function. Here we show that GTPase activity is indeed associated with the intact Mx1 protein purified from Escherichia coli expressing Mx1 cDNA. Amino acid substitution within the GTP-binding motif led to significant reduction in the GTPase activity. Yeast vacuolar protein sorting (VPS1) protein and the rat microtubule-associated mechanochemical enzyme dynamin were found to be homologous to Mx1 not only in the tripartite GTP-binding motif, but also in the amino-terminal region of approximately 300 amino acids in length. The function of Mx1 is discussed in comparison with these proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishihama
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C579070:Mx1 protein, mouse; C579069:Mx1 protein, rat; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins