Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0106, USA.
Trends Biochem Sci. 2010 May;35(5):253-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2010.02.002. Epub 2010 Feb 26.
Ribonucleases of the T2 family are found in the genomes of protozoans, plants, bacteria, animals and viruses. A broad range of biological roles for these ribonucleases have been suggested, including scavenging of nucleic acids, degradation of self-RNA, serving as extra- or intracellular cytotoxins, and modulating host immune responses. Recently, RNaseT2 family members have been implicated in human pathologies such as cancer and parasitic diseases. Interestingly, certain functions of RNaseT2 family members are independent of their nuclease activity, suggesting that these proteins have additional functions. Moreover, humans lacking RNASET2 manifest a defect in neurological development, perhaps due to aberrant control of the immune system. We review the basic structure and function of RNaseT2 family members and their biological roles.
T2 家族核糖核酸酶存在于原生动物、植物、细菌、动物和病毒的基因组中。这些核糖核酸酶具有广泛的生物学功能，包括核酸的清除、自身 RNA 的降解、作为细胞外或细胞内细胞毒素、调节宿主免疫反应等。最近，RNaseT2 家族成员与人类疾病如癌症和寄生虫病有关。有趣的是，某些 RNaseT2 家族成员的功能不依赖于其核酸酶活性，这表明这些蛋白质具有其他功能。此外，缺乏 RNASET2 的人表现出神经发育缺陷，这可能是由于免疫系统的异常控制。我们综述了 RNaseT2 家族成员的基本结构和功能及其生物学作用。
