How the body fights against viruses

Illustration “structure”: This is a model of the RNA-binding domain of ADAR1 (green), bound to double-stranded RNA (yellow). Transportin1, which mediates the nuclear transport of ADAR1, is depicted in gray. The structural model reveals that ADAR1 cannot enter the nucleus when bound to RNA, as RNA (yellow) and Transportin1 (gray) clash. Credit: PNAS

Scientists of the Max F. Perutz Laboratories of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, together with colleagues of the ETH Zurich, have now shown how double stranded RNA, such as viral genetic information, is prevented from entering the nucleus of a cell. During the immune response against viral infection, the protein ADAR1 moves from the cell nucleus into the surrounding cytoplasm. There it modifies viral RNA to inhibit reproduction of the virus. But how is the human genome protected from inadvertent import of viral RNA into the nucleus?  The current study of the research…