Z-RNA biology: a central role in the innate immune response?
- 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
- 2Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
- 3RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
- Corresponding authors: quentin.vicens{at}cuanschutz.edu, beat.vogeli{at}cuanschutz.edu
Abstract
Z-RNA is a higher-energy, left-handed conformation of RNA, whose function has remained elusive. A growing body of work alludes to regulatory roles for Z-RNA in the immune response. Here, we review how Z-RNA features present in cellular RNAs—especially containing retroelements—could be recognized by a family of winged helix proteins, with an impact on host defense. We also discuss how mutations to specific Z-contacting amino acids disrupt their ability to stabilize Z-RNA, resulting in functional losses. We end by highlighting knowledge gaps in the field, which, if addressed, would significantly advance this active area of research.
Keywords
- adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR1)
- E3L
- innate immune response
- retroelement
- Zα
- Z-D/RNA-binding protein 1 (ZBP1)
- Z-RNA
This article, published in RNA, is available undera Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International), as described at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
