Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Open Reading Frame (ORF) 3b, ORF 6, and Nucleocapsid Proteins Function as Interferon Antagonists

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is highly pathogenic in humans, with a death rate near 10%. This high pathogenicity suggests that SARS-CoV has developed mechanisms to overcome the host innate immune response. It has now been determined that SARS-CoV open reading frame (ORF) 3b, ORF 6, and N proteins antagonize interferon, a key component of the innate immune response. All three proteins inhibit the expression of beta interferon (IFN-beta), and further examination revealed that these SARS-CoV proteins inhibit a key protein necessary for the expression of IFN-beta, IRF-3. N protein dramatically inhibited expression from an NF-kappaB-responsive promoter. All three proteins were able…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 9724504, 1 S10 RR0 9145-01, DBI-9724504
• EM
  Ellison Medical Foundation
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: 1 S10 RR0 9145-01
• NC
  National Cancer Institute