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Science 19 September 1980:
Vol. 209. no. 4463, pp. 1343 - 1347
DOI: 10.1126/science.6158094
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Articles

Science, Vol 209, Issue 4463, 1343-1347
Copyright © 1980 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

At least three human type alpha interferons: structure of alpha 2

M Streuli, S Nagata, and C Weissmann

The sequence of a human leukocyte-derived complementary DNA (cDNA), Hif-2h, which directs the formation in Escherichia coli of a polypeptide, IFN-alpha 1, with interferon (IFN) activity has been described. A second IFN cDNA, Hif-SN206, which also elicits synthesis of a biologically active IFN, IFN-alpha 2, is described in this article. Whereas IFN-alpha 2 is twice as active on human as on bovine cells, IFN-alpha 1 is 10 to 20 times more active on bovine than on human cells. As deduced from the cDNA's, the messenger RNA's for the two IFN's differ in length and in 20 percent of the nucleotides; the mature IFN polypeptides differ in 17 percent of the amino acids. Both IFN-alpha 1 and IFN-alpha 2 differ from the lymphoblastoid IFN described by others. Therefore, at least three different IFN-alpha genes are expressed in man; studies on genomic DNA reveal the presence of at least eight IFN-related genes.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Comparison of Intramuscular and Intravenous Recombinant Alpha-2 Interferon in Melanoma and Other Cancers.
J. M. KIRKWOOD, M. S. ERNSTOFF, C. A. DAVIS, M. REISS, R. FERRARESI, and S. A. RUDNICK (1985)
Ann Intern Med 103, 32-36
   Abstract »    PDF »
Systemic lupus erythematosus: presence in human serum of an unusual acid-labile leukocyte interferon.
O. Preble, R. Black, R. Friedman, J. Klippel, and J Vilcek (1982)
Science 216, 429-431
   Abstract »    PDF »
Further heterogeneity of human alpha interferon mRNA species.
P. Sehgal, A. Sagar, and I. Braude (1981)
Science 214, 803-805
   Abstract »    PDF »
Effect of interferon-alpha 1 from E. coli on some cell functions.
M. Masucci, R Szigeti, E Klein, G Klein, J Gruest, L Montagnier, H Taira, A Hall, S Nagata, and C Weissmann (1980)
Science 209, 1431-1435
   Abstract »    PDF »


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