 cGAS complexed with dsDNA (based on PDB 4O6A) | |||||||||
| Identifiers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EC no. | 2.7.7.86 | ||||||||
| Databases | |||||||||
| IntEnz | IntEnz view | ||||||||
| BRENDA | BRENDA entry | ||||||||
| ExPASy | NiceZyme view | ||||||||
| KEGG | KEGG entry | ||||||||
| MetaCyc | metabolic pathway | ||||||||
| PRIAM | profile | ||||||||
| PDB structures | RCSB PDB PDBe PDBsum | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS, cGAMP synthase), belonging to the nucleotidyltransferase family, is a cytosolic DNA sensor that activates a type-I interferon response. It is part of the cGAS-STING DNA sensing pathway. It binds to microbial DNA as well as self DNA that invades the cytoplasm, and catalyzes cGAMP synthesis. [1] cGAMP then functions as a second messenger that binds to and activates the endoplasmic reticulum protein STING to trigger type-I IFNs production. [2] [3] [4] Mice lacking cGAS are more vulnerable to lethal infection by DNA viruses and RNA viruses. [5] [6] In addition, cGAS has been shown to be an innate immune sensor of retroviruses including HIV. [7] [8] The human gene encoding cGAS is MB21D1 on chromosome 6.