Identification of 2 novel type I IFN genes in Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus

Two novel type I interferon genes (JfIFN3 and JfIFN4) have been identified in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Open reading frames of JfIFN3 and JfIFN4 were 555bp and 528bp, encoding 184aa and 175aa, respectively. The genomic structures of JfIFN3 and JfIFN4 are composed of 5 exons and 4 introns. JfIFN4 has 2 conserved cysteine residues, while JfIFN3 has 4. JfIFN3 and JfIFN4 showed the highest amino acid sequence identities to turbot IFN1 (74%) and IFN2 (62%), respectively. Interestingly, JfIFN3 and JfIFN4 were clustered in distinct branches with JfIFN1 and JfIFN2, which have reported so far. The mRNA levels of JfIFN4 were apparently increased in the kidney and spleen at 3 h after ployI:C injection, while JfIFN1-3 were not detected by RT-PCR.