title: Vaccinia virus encodes a soluble type I interferon receptor of novel structure and broad species specificity.
abstract: Vaccinia virus (VV) and other orthopoxviruses express a soluble type I interferon (IFN) receptor that for VV strain Western Reserve is encoded by gene B18R. The 60-65 kDa glycoprotein is related to the interleukin-1 receptors and is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, unlike other type I IFN receptors, which belong to the class II cytokine receptor family. The receptor has high affinity (KD, 174 pM) for human IFN alpha and, unlike other type I IFN receptors, has broad species specificity, binding to human, rabbit, bovine, rat, and mouse type I IFNs. This may have aided VV replication in multiple host species during evolution. A VV B18R deletion mutant is attenuated in a murine intranasal model. This type I IFN receptor represents the fourth VV protein that interferes with IFN and the fourth soluble cytokine receptor expressed by poxviruses.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, England.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Symons
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alcamí
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009154:Mutation; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D017471:Receptors, Interferon