PRKR Antibody

Interferon-induced, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase is a serine-threonine kinase. Activation by dsRNAs leads to autophosphorylation of PRKR and allows the kinase to phosphorylate its natural substrate, the alpha subunit of eukaryotic protein synthesis initiation factor-2 (EIF2-alpha), leading to the inhibition of protein synthesis. Human gamma-interferon (IFNG) mRNA exploits localized activation of PRKR in the cell to regulate its own translation. IFNG mRNA activates PRKR through a pseudoknot in its 5-prime untranslated region. The HCV envelope protein E2 contains a sequence identical with phosphorylation sites of the interferon-inducible protein kinase PRKR and the translation initiation factor EIF2-alpha, a target of PRKR. E2 inhibits the kinase activity of PRKR and blocks its inhibitory effect on protein synthesis and cell growth, which provides one mechanism by which HCV may circumvent the antiviral effect of interferon.