Ribonuclease L (RNASEL)

Rnase-L; RNS4; PRCA1; 2',5'-Oligoisoadenylate Synthetase-Dependent; Prostate Cancer 1; 2-5A-dependent ribonuclease

SPN	T618
HGNC	10050
MGI	1098272
PubMed	9525594
RGD	727933
UniProt	Q05823
Wiki	RNASEL

RNase L is present in very minute quantities during the normal cell cycle. When interferon binds to cell receptors, it activates transcription of around 300 genes to bring about the antiviral state. Among the enzymes produced is RNase L, which is initially in an inactive form.

RNase L is part of the body's innate immune defense, namely the antiviral state of the cell. When a cell is in the antiviral state, it is highly resistant to viral attacks and is also ready to undergo apoptosis upon successful viral infection. Degradation of all RNA within the cell (which usually occurs with cessation of translation activity caused by protein kinase R is the cell's last stand against a virus before it attempts apoptosis.

Reference

"Expression cloning of 2-5A-dependent RNAase: a uniquely regulated mediator of interferon action."
Cell 72:753-765(1993) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Analysis and origins of the human and mouse RNase L genes: mediators of interferon action."
Mamm. Genome 11:989-992(2000) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The full-ORF clone resource of the German cDNA consortium."
BMC Genomics 8:399-399(2007) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The DNA sequence and biological annotation of human chromosome 1."
Nature 441:315-321(2006) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC)."
Genome Res. 14:2121-2127(2004) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Intrinsic molecular activities of the interferon-induced 2-5A-dependent RNase."
J. Biol. Chem. 269:14153-14158(1994) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Cloning and characterization of a RNase L inhibitor. A new component of the interferon-regulated 2-5A pathway."
J. Biol. Chem. 270:13308-13317(1995) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"The 2-5A/RNase L/RNase L inhibitor (RNI) pathway regulates mitochondrial mRNAs stability in interferon alpha-treated H9 cells."
J. Biol. Chem. 276:48473-48482(2001) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

Erratum
J. Biol. Chem. 277:13354-13354(2002)

"The 2-5A system in viral infection and apoptosis."
Biomed. Pharmacother. 52:386-390(1998) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Alternative function of a protein kinase homology domain in 2', 5'-oligoadenylate dependent RNase L."
Nucleic Acids Res. 27:439-445(1999) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Basis for regulated RNA cleavage by functional analysis of RNase L and Ire1p."
RNA 7:361-373(2001) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Lysine acetylation targets protein complexes and co-regulates major cellular functions."
Science 325:834-840(2009) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Structural basis for recognition of 2',5'-linked oligoadenylates by human ribonuclease L."
EMBO J. 23:3929-3938(2004) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Germline alterations of the RNASEL gene, a candidate HPC1 gene at 1q25, in patients and families with prostate cancer."
Am. J. Hum. Genet. 70:1299-1304(2002) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Germline mutations in the ribonuclease L gene in families showing linkage with HPC1."
Nat. Genet. 30:181-184(2002) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"RNASEL Arg462Gln variant is implicated in up to 13% of prostate cancer cases."
Nat. Genet. 32:581-583(2002) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]

"Patterns of somatic mutation in human cancer genomes."
Nature 446:153-158(2007) [PubMed] [Europe PMC] [Abstract]