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SUMMARY:An unexpected role for RNA in the recognition of DNA by the innate
  immune system - Professor Veit Hornung\, Institute for Clinical Chemistry
  and Pharmacology\, University of Bonn\, Germany
DTSTART:20100505T153000Z
DTEND:20100505T163000Z
UID:TALK24378@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Suzy Blows
DESCRIPTION:A central function of our innate immune system is to sense mic
 robial pathogens by the presence of their nucleic acid genomes or their tr
 anscriptional or replicative activity. In mammals\, a receptor-based syste
 m is mainly responsible for the detection of these “non‐ self” nucle
 ic acids. Tremendous progress has been made in the past years to identify 
 host constituents that are required for this intricate task. With regard t
 o the sensing of RNA genome based pathogens by our innate immune system\, 
 a picture is emerging that includes certain families of the toll-like rece
 ptor family (TLR3\, TLR7\, TLR8) and the RIG- I like helicases (RIG-I\, MD
 A5 and LGP2). Genetic loss of function studies implicate that the absence 
 of these pathways can lead to a complete lack of recognition of certain RN
 A viruses. At the same time\, intracellular DNA can also trigger potent in
 nate immune responses\, yet the players in this field are less clear. We a
 nd another group recently identified a role for RNA polymerase III in the 
 conversion of AT-rich DNA into an RNA ligand that is sensed by the RIG‐I
  pathway.
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 1\, Department of Veterinary Medicine
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