RNASEL

This gene encodes a component of the interferon-regulated 2-5A system that functions in the antiviral and antiproliferative roles of interferons. Mutations in this gene have been associated with predisposition to prostate cancer and this gene is a candidate for the hereditary prostate cancer 1 (HPC1) allele.

Full Name

Ribonuclease L

Alternative Names

Ribonuclease L; 2-5A-Dependent RNase; Ribonuclease 4; RNase L; RNS4; Ribonuclease L (2;5-Oligoisoadenylate Synthetase-Dependent); 2;5-Oligoisoadenylate Synthetase-Dependent;

Function

Endoribonuclease that functions in the interferon (IFN) antiviral response. In INF treated and virus infected cells, RNASEL probably mediates its antiviral effects through a combination of direct cleavage of single-stranded viral RNAs, inhibition of protein synthesis through the degradation of rRNA, induction of apoptosis, and induction of other antiviral genes. RNASEL mediated apoptosis is the result of a JNK-dependent stress-response pathway leading to cytochrome c release from mitochondria and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, activation of RNASEL could lead to elimination of virus infected cells under some circumstances. In the crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis proposed to induce autophagy as an early stress response to small double-stranded RNA and at later stages of prolonged stress to activate caspase-dependent proteolytic cleavage of BECN1 to terminate autophagy and promote apoptosis (PubMed:26263979).
Might play a central role in the regulation of mRNA turnover (PubMed:11585831).
Cleaves 3' of UpNp dimers, with preference for UU and UA sequences, to sets of discrete products ranging from between 4 and 22 nucleotides in length.

Biological Process

Biological Process defense response to virusManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:UniProtKB
Biological Process fat cell differentiationIEA:Ensembl
Biological Process mRNA processingIEA:InterPro
Biological Process negative regulation of viral genome replicationManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:UniProtKB
Biological Process positive regulation of glucose importIEA:Ensembl
Biological Process positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase IIManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIDA:UniProtKB
Biological Process protein phosphorylation1 PublicationNAS:UniProtKB
Biological Process regulation of mRNA stabilityIEA:Ensembl
Biological Process RNA processingManual Assertion Based On ExperimentIBA:GO_Central
Biological Process rRNA processingIEA:Ensembl

Cellular Location

Cytoplasm
Mitochondrion

Involvement in disease

Prostate cancer, hereditary, 1 (HPC1):
A condition associated with familial predisposition to cancer of the prostate. Most prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas that develop in the acini of the prostatic ducts. Other rare histopathologic types of prostate cancer that occur in approximately 5% of patients include small cell carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, prostatic ductal carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma (basaloid), signet-ring cell carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma.