SLFN11
Description
The SLFN11 (schlafen family member 11) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
Schlafen family member 11 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLFN11 gene.
SLFN11 inhibits DNA replication and promotes cell death in response to DNA damage, acting as a guardian of the genome by eliminating cells with defective replication. It persistently blocks stressed replication forks by opening chromatin at replication initiation sites, potentially unwinding DNA ahead of the MCM helicase and blocking fork progression, ultimately leading to cell death. SLFN11 operates independently of ATR. It also functions as an interferon (IFN)-induced antiviral protein, inhibiting retrovirus protein synthesis. SLFN11 specifically blocks the production of retroviruses like HIV-1 by inhibiting the synthesis of retroviral proteins in a codon-usage-dependent manner. It binds to tRNAs and exploits the unique viral codon bias towards A/T nucleotides. The exact mechanism of inhibition remains unclear, but may involve sequestering tRNAs, preventing their maturation, or accelerating their deacylation. SLFN11 does not inhibit reverse transcription, integration, or the production and nuclear export of viral RNA.
SLFN11 is also known as SLFN8/9.
