Interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) products take on a number of diverse roles. Collectively, they are highly effective at resisting and controlling pathogens. In this review, we begin by introducing interferon (IFN) and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway to highlight features that impact ISG production. Next, we describe ways in which ISGs both enhance innate pathogen-sensing capabilities and negatively regulate signaling through the JAK-STAT pathway. Several ISGs that directly inhibit virus infection are described with an emphasis on those that impact early and late stages of the virus life cycle. Finally, we describe ongoing efforts to identify and characterize antiviral ISGs, and we provide a forward-looking perspective on the ISG landscape.

Interferon-Stimulated Genes: A Complex Web of Host Defenses

The papain-like protease PLpro is an essential coronavirus enzyme that is required for processing viral polyproteins to generate a functional replicase complex and enable viral spread1,2. PLpro is also implicated in cleaving proteinaceous post-translational modifications on host proteins as an evasion mechanism against host antiviral immune responses3-5. Here we perform biochemical, structural and functional characterization of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) PLpro (SCoV2-PLpro) and outline differences with SARS-CoV PLpro (SCoV-PLpro) in regulation of host interferon and NF-κB pathways. SCoV2-PLpro and SCoV-PLpro share 83% sequence identity but exhibit different host substrate preferences; SCoV2-PLpro preferentially cleaves the ubiquitin-like interferon-stimulated gene 15 protein (ISG15), whereas SCoV-PLpro predominantly targets ubiquitin chains. The crystal structure of SCoV2-PLpro in complex with ISG15 reveals distinctive interactions with the amino-terminal ubiquitin-like domain of ISG15, highlighting the high affinity and specificity of these interactions. Furthermore, upon infection, SCoV2-PLpro contributes to the cleavage of ISG15 from interferon responsive factor 3 (IRF3) and attenuates type I interferon responses. Notably, inhibition of SCoV2-PLpro with GRL-0617 impairs the virus-induced cytopathogenic effect, maintains the antiviral interferon pathway and reduces viral replication in infected cells. These results highlight a potential dual therapeutic strategy in which targeting of SCoV2-PLpro can suppress SARS-CoV-2 infection and promote antiviral immunity.

/pdf/papain-like-protease-regulates-sars-cov-2-viral-spread-and-d6qyv07bix.pdf

Papain-like protease regulates SARS-CoV-2 viral spread and innate immunity.

The host response to viral infection includes the induction of type I interferons and the subsequent upregulation of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes. Ubiquitin-like protein ISG15 is an interferon-induced protein that has been implicated as a central player in the host antiviral response. Over the past 15 years, efforts to understand how ISG15 protects the host during infection have revealed that its actions are diverse and pathogen-dependent. In this Review, we describe new insights into how ISG15 directly inhibits viral replication and discuss the recent finding that ISG15 modulates the host damage and repair response, immune response and other host signalling pathways. We also explore the viral immune-evasion strategies that counteract the actions of ISG15. These findings are integrated with a discussion of the recent identification of ISG15-deficient individuals and a cellular receptor for ISG15 that provides new insights into how ISG15 shapes the host response to viral infection.

/pdf/isg15-in-antiviral-immunity-and-beyond-t1xzpk5emh.pdf

ISG15 in antiviral immunity and beyond.

The eukaryotic ubiquitin family encompasses nearly 20 proteins that are involved in the posttranslational modification of various macromolecules. The ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) that are part of this family adopt the β-grasp fold that is characteristic of its founding member ubiquitin (Ub). Although structurally related, UBLs regulate a strikingly diverse set of cellular processes, including nuclear transport, proteolysis, translation, autophagy, and antiviral pathways. New UBL substrates continue to be identified and further expand the functional diversity of UBL pathways in cellular homeostasis and physiology. Here, we review recent findings on such novel substrates, mechanisms, and functions of UBLs.

Ubiquitin-Like Proteins

Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is one of the most upregulated genes upon Type I interferon treatment or pathogen infection. Its 17 kDa protein product, ISG15, was the first ubiquitin-like modifier identified, and is similar to a ubiquitin linear dimer. As ISG15 modifies proteins in a similar manner to ubiquitylation, protein conjugation by ISG15 is termed ISGylation. Some of the primary enzymes that promote ISGylation are also involved in ubiquitin conjugation. The process to remove ISG15 from its conjugated proteins, termed de-ISGylation, is performed by a cellular ISG15-specific protease, ubiquitin-specific proteases with molecular mass 43 kDa (UBP43)/ubiquitin-specific proteases 18. Relative to ubiquitin, the biological function of ISG15 is still poorly understood, but ISG15 appears to play important roles in various biological and cellular functions. Therefore, there is growing interest in ISG15, as the study of free ISG15 and functional consequences of ISGylation/de-ISGylation may identify use...

/pdf/interferon-stimulated-gene-15-and-the-protein-isgylation-14o6bxq8gf.pdf

Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15 and the Protein ISGylation System

Virus infection induces host antiviral responses, including induction of type I interferons. Transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) plays a pivotal role and is tightly regulated in this process. Here, we identify HERC5 (HECT domain and RLD 5) as a specific binding protein of IRF3 by immunoprecipitation. Ectopic expression or knockdown of HERC5 could, respectively, enhance or impair IRF3-mediated gene expression. Mechanistically, HERC5 catalyzes the conjugation of ubiquitin-like protein ISG15 onto IRF3 (Lys193, -360, and -366), thus attenuating the interaction between Pin1 and IRF3, resulting in sustained IRF3 activation. In contrast to results for wild-type IRF3, the mutant IRF3(K193,360,366R) interacts tightly with Pin1, is highly polyubiquitinated, and becomes less stable upon Sendai virus (SeV) infection. Consistently, host antiviral responses are obviously boosted or crippled in the presence or absence of HERC5, respectively. Collectively, this study characterizes HERC5 as a positive regulator of innate antiviral responses. It sustains IRF3 activation via a novel posttranslational modification, ISGylation.

Lian Hui Zhu

Papers

Positive regulation of interferon regulatory factor 3 activation by Herc5 via ISG15 modification.