Structure/function studies of murine interferon-α1 using site-directed mutagenesis followed by in vitro synthesis

Abstract Site-directed in vitro mutagenesis followed by in vitro transcription and translation has been used to study structure/function relationships for murine interferon-α1 (MuIFN-α1). The mature form of the MuIFN-α1 protein was expressed as well as analogue forms with amino acid substitutions at positions 33, 71, 72, 123 and 133. These positions were chosen on the basis of known human interferon-α structure/function relationships. Biological assays for antiviral activity on murine cells and natural killer cell activation have been performed for each of the proteins produced. The data obtained have been interpreted in the light of previous human and murine interferon-α structure/function work and the recently published three-dimensional structure of murine type I interferon.