IFIT proteins are suggested to slow anti viral activity in three ways:(see figure) ''1. Binding to viral nucleic acids with specific RNA
5' caps or 5' end structure'' This is based on 5′-triphosphorylated RNA and Cap-0 RNA binding. Cap-0 is a messenger RNA cap that has N7-methyl guanosine but lacks the 2' O-methylation found in Cap-1, which is important in evading the innate immune response as detection as non-self RNA. Experimental data and the three dimensional structure of
IFIT1 reveals that the proteins bind to viral
PPP RNA in a sequence specific manner. Few viruses like Rift Valley fever virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, and influenza A produce PPP RNA nucleic acid during their life cycle.
2. Directly binding to eukaryotic initiation factor 3 (eIF3) and preventing eIF3 from initiating the translational process. 3. Directly binding to viral proteins ==References==