Structural Biology

Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) is an interferon-inducible antiviral restriction factor with tRNA endoribonuclease and DNA binding functions. It is recruited to stalled replication forks in response to replication stress and inhibits replication of certain viruses such as the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) by modulating the tRNA pool. SLFN11 has been identified as a predictive biomarker in cancer, as its expression correlates with a beneficial response to DNA damage inducing anticancer drugs. However, the mechanism and interdependence of these two functions are largely unknown. Katja Lammens and her team in the Hopfner lab present cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human SLFN11 in its dimeric apoenzyme state, bound to tRNA and in complex with single-strand DNA. In cooperation with Stefan Krebs from the Blum lab the specific cleavage position in tRNA was identified. Full-length SLFN11 neither hydrolyses nor binds ATP and the helicase domain appears in an autoinhibited state. Together with biochemical and structure guided mutagenesis studies, their data give detailed insights into the mechanism of endoribonuclease activity as well as suggestions on how SLFN11 may block stressed replication forks.

The authors conclude that SLFN11 may act as a double-edged sword with two functions within one protein which might be regulatory connected. Katja Lammens point out: "Further studies are needed to uncover the whole regulatory picture of SLFN11 activation and to clarify the possible coupling or separation of these two functions."

Original publication:

Mechanistic understanding of human SLFN11
Metzner FJ, Wenzl SJ, Kugler M, Krebs S, Hopfner KP, Lammens K
Nat Commun 13, 5464 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33123-0