title: Overlapping and distinct mechanisms regulating IRF-3 and IRF-7 function.
abstract: Recent molecular, biochemical, and gene disruption studies have demonstrated the essential role of interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-3, (IRF-3) and IRF-7 in the activation of type I IFN gene expression and the induction of the antiviral state. Both transcription factors share structural and functional properties, as well as a common mechanism of activation through C-terminal phosphorylation. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent investigations indicating that similar signalling pathways are likely involved in the activation of IRF-3 and IRF-7. Moreover, unique biochemical events, such as coactivator association and differential recognition of cis-acting elements, also illustrate the capacity of IRF-3 and IRF-7 to selectively regulate type I IFN and IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression.
authors.affiliation: Terry Fox Molecular Oncology Group, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, and Departments of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Servant
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tenoever
authors.forename: Rongtuan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D050838:Interferon Regulatory Factor-3; D050839:Interferon Regulatory Factor-7; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020218:Response Elements; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014780:Viruses / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494232:IRF3 protein, human; C494234:IRF7 protein, human; D050838:Interferon Regulatory Factor-3; D050839:Interferon Regulatory Factor-7; D014157:Transcription Factors