Molecular and Functional Analysis of an Interferon Gene from the Zebrafish, Danio rerio

Abstract

A putative IFN from puffer, Fugu rubripes, was also found when zfIFN was used to search the fugu genome database, demonstrating that zfIFN can be used to find additional fish IFN genes. These results demonstrate that zebrafish can be used as an effective model for studying innate immunity and immune response to infectious disease.

Fish virus-induced interferon exerts antiviral function through Stat1 pathway

“…Recently virus-induced IFN genes have been cloned in some teleost fish and their antiviral activities have been proved in vitro and in vivo (Altmann et al, 2003;Long et al, 2004;Lopez-Munoz et al, 2009;Lutfalla et al, 2003;Ooi et al, 2008;Robertsen et al, 2003;Zou et al, 2007). In the present study, using gain-of-and loss-of-function experiments, we demonstrated that fish IFN confers a strong resistance to virus infection through induction of a set of conserved ISGs and, importantly, IFN upregulates ISGs and itself through Stat1 pathway.…”

“…Recently virusinduced IFN genes have been characterized in various fish species (Aggad et al, 2009;Altmann et al, 2003;Long et al, 2004;Lutfalla et al, 2003;Robertsen et al, 2003;Zou et al, 2007), and some downstream ISG counterparts have also been identified (Robertsen, 2006;Zhang et al, 2007), strongly indicating that teleost fish possess an IFN antiviral system. In support of this notion, IFN inducible genes including Mx and PKR have been proved to block virus replication in fish (Caipang et al, 2003;Larsen et al, 2004;Zhu et al, 2008), and there exists a conserved RLR (RIG-I-like receptors) pathway responsible for fish IFN induction during virus infection (Biacchesi et al, 2009).…”

“…Moreover, most conclusions about the antiviral effects of fish virus-induced IFNs are derived from cell protection assays and the ability to upregulate Mx expression, a key hallmark IFN inducible gene (Altmann et al, 2003;Long et al, 2004;Lutfalla et al, 2003;Ooi et al, 2008;Robertsen et al, 2003). Some studies also have made a survey of the expression profile of IFN inducible genes (Martin et al, 2007); however, the physiological relevance of ISG expression is still poorly understood.…”

Distinct evolution process among type I interferon in mammals

“…Type I IFNs have been identified in zebrafish, Atlantic salmon, grass carp, and Fugurubripes, which several of them display similar activities to their mammal homologs (Altmann et al, 2003;Robertsen et al, 2003). IFNβ is hypothesized to have arisen from birds, and the other type I IFNs are present only in mammals (Sick et al, 1996).IFNζ, also known as limitin, was discovered for its abi lity to arrest the growth of or kill lympho-hematopo ietic cells, and is thought to only exist in mice (Oritani et al, 2000).…”

Gene structures and promoter characteristics of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1), IRF-2 and IRF-7 from snakehead Channa argus

“…Through the DBD, IRF family members bind to a similar DNA motif, termed interferon stimulating response element (ISRE) and IFN regulatory element (IRF-E) (Tanaka et al, 1993;Darnell et al, 1994). In teleosts, IFN molecules have been cloned and characterized from zebrafish (Danio rerio), pufferfish (Tetraodon nigroviridis), atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) since 2003 (Altmann et al, 2003;Robertsen et al, 2003;Long et al, 2004;Igawa et al, 2006). ISGs and their promoters were identified in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Mx1 and Vig-2, Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) ISG15 (Collet and Secombes, 2001;Boudinot et al, 2001;Liu et al, 2002;Seppola et al, 2007).…”