Mx proteins: GTPases with antiviral activity.
Mx proteins are synthesized in interferon-treated vertebrate cells. They have attracted much attention because some of them can block the multiplication of influenza A virus and certain other negative-stranded RNA viruses. Recently, Mx proteins have been shown to be GTPases with significant homology to dynamins and yeast VPS1, enzymes involved in intracellular protein trafficking. Several biochemical properties of dynamin and VPS1 are similar to those of Mx, promoting new speculation about how Mx proteins might interfere with virus multiplication.
Staeheli
P
P
Department of Virology, Institute of Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Freiburg, Germany.
Pitossi
F
F
Pavlovic
J
J