鱼类干扰素调节因子家族不仅包括与哺乳类具有直向同源进化关系的所有9个成员（IRF1-9），而且还包括两个在哺乳类基因组中不存在的成员IRF10和IRF11，其中IRF11为鱼类特有。前期研究表明IRF11能被病毒感染所诱导，而且能有效激活干扰素基因的表达，但是其中机制有待深入研究。本项目首先将分离鉴定鲫IRF11基因的侧翼调控序列，比较研究病毒等诱导剂诱导IRF11的表达调控，揭示IRF11在病毒感染的细胞中如何被启动表达。进而研究IRF11基因编码蛋白在病毒感染细胞中的动态定位规律，揭示IRF11在干扰素抗病毒反应中发挥功能的场所。最后研究IRF11的诱导激活及对不同干扰素基因表达的调控差异，解析IRF11基因在病毒感染的鱼类细胞中如何调控干扰素反应。本项目的研究结果不仅将阐明IRF11在干扰素抗病毒免疫反应中的功能角色以及作用机理，而且有助于理解鱼类具有自身特点的干扰素抗病毒反应机制。

Fish interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family contains not only 9 members (IRF1-9) othologous to mammalian counterparts but also 2 members including IRF10 and IRF11, both of which do not exist in mammalian genomes and the latter of which is exclusively specific to fish. Our preliminary studies have shown that fish IRF11 is significantly induced in viral-infected fish cells and also exhibits an ability to activate transcription of fish interferon genes; however, the detailed mechanisms underlying viral induction of fish IRF11 gene expression and IRF11-mediated regulation of fish interferon antiviral response remain to be investigated. In this project, firstly, the 5’ flanking sequences of Curcian carp Carassius auratus IRF11 gene will be cloned to compare the induction pathways triggered by different interferon stimuli, thus clarifying how this gene is transcriptionally expressed in response to virus infection. Secondly, the dynmics of subcellular localization of fish IRF11-encoding protein will be studied in order to reveal where this gene exerts its function in viral-infected fish cells. Finally, the experiments of whether fish IRF11 is activated as IRF3/7 through phosphorylation and whether there exist differences in iIRF11-mediated regulation of distinct fish interferon gene expression will be performed, further clarifying how fish IRF11 regulates interferon antiviral response upon viral infection. If this project is supported, the functional role of fish IRF11 and the underlying mechanisms during fish interferon antiviral immune response will be revealed, and importantly, these results will aid to comprehensively understand fish-own interferon-mediated antiviral mechanisms triggered by fish-specific IRF11 gene.