The PKR protein kinase--an interferon-inducible regulator of cell growth and differentiation.
Post-translational modifications such as protein phosphorylation provide an important mechanism by which the functional activity of proteins can be controlled and, hence, biological processes regulated. Interferons (IFN) are a multigene family of cytokines that can profoundly affect a wide variety of functions in animal cells including virus replication, cell growth and differentiation, and the immune response. Changes in protein phosphorylation mediated by the IFN-inducible, RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) are implicated in the control of cell proliferation mediated by IFNs. Our knowledge of the structure, regulation and function of PKR will be summarized in this brief review, with focus on those aspects of protein phosphorylation and interferon action involving PKR that are central to the roles of the enzyme in the control of cell growth and proliferation.
Samuel
C E
CE
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106, USA.
Kuhen
K L
KL
George
C X
CX
Ortega
L G
LG
Rende-Fournier
R
R
Tanaka
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase
D007372:Interferons; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase