title: Interferons: chemical properties.
abstract: HuIFN-alpha has been found to consist of a family of 8-10 components. Their amino acid (165 and 166 residues) and nucleotide sequences are similar and also reveal some relationship to that of HuIFN-beta and even to those of murine alpha- and beta-interferons. It is thus likely that all mammalian interferons have originated from a common ancestral gene. Human beta- and some alpha-interferons have been obtained by genetic engineering in E.coli. All interferons seem to contain a relatively high proportion of hydrophobic amino acids and some of the components are glycosylated. The N-terminal residue of all HuIFN-alpha members is probably cysteine, that of the major HuIFN-beta peptide methionine and that of MuIFN-alpha and-beta probably alanine and isoleucine. Very little is known about the chemistry of any of the gamma-interferon species.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D007372:Interferons / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D013045:Species Specificity; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D004247:DNA; D007372:Interferons