title: Helicases in Antiviral Immunity: Dual Properties as Sensors and Effectors.
abstract: Many helicases have a unique ability to couple cognate RNA binding to ATP hydrolysis, which can induce a large conformational change that affects its interaction with RNA, position along RNA, or oligomeric state. A growing number of these helicases contribute to the innate immune system, either as sensors that detect foreign nucleic acids and/or as effectors that directly participate in the clearance of such foreign species. In this review, we discuss a few examples, including retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I), melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), and Dicer, focusing on their dual functions as both sensors and effectors. We will also discuss the closely related, but less understood, helicases, laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2) and Dicer-related helicase-1 and -3 (DRH-1 and -3).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Sadeem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: Sun.Hur@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D043244:Ribonuclease III; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases
keywords: Dicer; Dicer-like helicase; MDA5; RIG-I; antiviral immunity; helicase