Protein: Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAMP synthase) (cGAS) (m-cGAS) (EC 2.7.7.86) (2'3'-cGAMP synthase) (Mab-21 domain-containing protein 1) (Q8C6L5)
Organism: Mus musculus (Mouse)
Function: Nucleotidyltransferase that catalyzes the formation of cyclic GMP-AMP (2',3'-cGAMP) from ATP and GTP and plays a key role in innate immunity. Catalysis involves both the formation of a 2',5' phosphodiester linkage at the GpA step and the formation of a 3',5' phosphodiester linkage at the ApG step, producing c[G(2',5')pA(3',5')p]. Acts as a key DNA sensor: directly binds double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), inducing the formation of liquid-like droplets in which CGAS is activated, leading to synthesis of 2',3'-cGAMP, a second messenger that binds to and activates STING1, thereby triggering type-I interferon production. Preferentially binds long dsDNA (around 45 bp) and forms ladder-like networks that function cooperatively to stabilize individual cGAS-dsDNA complexes. Acts as a key foreign DNA sensor, the presence of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in the cytoplasm being a danger signal that triggers the immune responses. Has antiviral activity by sensing the presence of dsDNA from DNA viruses in the cytoplasm. Also acts as an innate immune sensor of infection by retroviruses by detecting the presence of reverse-transcribed DNA in the cytosol. Detection of retroviral reverse-transcribed DNA in the cytosol may be indirect and be mediated via interaction with PQBP1, which directly binds reverse-transcribed retroviral DNA (By similarity). Also detects the presence of DNA from bacteria (By similarity). 2',3'-cGAMP can be transferred from producing cells to neighboring cells through gap junctions, leading to promote STING1 activation and convey immune response to connecting cells. 2',3'-cGAMP can also be transferred between cells by virtue of packaging within viral particles contributing to IFN-induction in newly infected cells in a cGAS-independent but STING1-dependent manner. Also senses the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that are translocated to the cytosol following phagocytosis, leading to synthesis of 2',3'-cGAMP. In addition to foreign DNA, can also be activated by endogenous nuclear or mitochondrial DNA (By similarity). When self-DNA leaks into the cytosol during cellular stress (such as mitochondrial stress, DNA damage, mitotic arrest or senescence), or is present in form of cytosolic micronuclei, CGAS is activated leading to a state of sterile inflammation. Acts as a regulator of cellular senescence by binding to cytosolic chromatin fragments that are present in senescent cells, leading to trigger type-I interferon production via STING1 and promote cellular senescence. Also involved in the inflammatory response to genome instability and double-stranded DNA breaks: acts by localizing to micronuclei arising from genome instability. Micronuclei, which as frequently found in cancer cells, consist of chromatin surrounded by its own nuclear membrane: following breakdown of the micronuclear envelope, a process associated with chromothripsis, CGAS binds self-DNA exposed to the cytosol, leading to 2',3'-cGAMP synthesis and subsequent activation of STING1 and type-I interferon production. In a healthy cell, CGAS is however kept inactive even in cellular events that directly expose it to self-DNA, such as mitosis, when cGAS associates with chromatin directly after nuclear envelope breakdown or remains in the form of postmitotic persistent nuclear cGAS pools bound to chromatin (By similarity). Nuclear CGAS is inactivated by chromatin via direct interaction with nucleosomes, which block CGAS from DNA binding and thus prevent CGAS-induced autoimmunity. Also acts as a suppressor of DNA repair in response to DNA damage: inhibits homologous recombination repair by interacting with PARP1, the CGAS-PARP1 interaction leading to impede the formation of the PARP1-TIMELESS complex. In addition to DNA, also sense translation stress: in response to translation stress, translocates to the cytosol and associates with collided ribosomes, promoting its activation and triggering type-I interferon production (By similarity).
Subcellular location: Nucleus {ECO:0000269|PubMed:31544964, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31808743}. Chromosome {ECO:0000269|PubMed:31544964, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32911480, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32911481, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32913000}. Cell membrane {ECO:0000269|PubMed:30827685}; Peripheral membrane protein {ECO:0000269|PubMed:30827685}. Cytoplasm, cytosol {ECO:0000269|PubMed:23258413, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31544964, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31808743}. Note=Mainly localizes in the nucleus, and at low level in the cytosol (PubMed:31544964, PubMed:31808743). On chromosomes, enriched on centromeric satellite and LINE DNA repeat elements (By similarity). Exported from the nucleus to the cytosol in a XPO1/CRM1 via the nuclear export signal in response to DNA stimulation (By similarity). Outside the nucleus, localizes at the cell membrane as a peripheral membrane protein in resting conditions: association to the cell membrane is mediated via binding to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) (PubMed:30827685). Localization at the cell membrane is required to limit the recognition of self-DNA (By similarity). Following detection of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), released from the cell membrane into the cytosol in order to signal (By similarity). Upon transfection with dsDNA forms punctate structures that co-localize with DNA and Beclin-1 (BECN1) (By similarity). Phosphorylation at Tyr-201 promotes cytosolic retention (By similarity). In response to translation stress, translocates to the cytosol and associates with collided ribosomes (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q8N884, ECO:0000269|PubMed:30827685, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31544964, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31808743}.
Interaction partners:
- Beclin-1
- Serine/threonine-protein kinase TBK1
- Interferon regulatory factor 3
- Stimulator of interferon genes protein
- Histone H2B type 1-C/E/G
- Interferon-activable protein 204
- Histone H2A type 1-B
- Histone H2A type 2-A
- Histone H2A type 3
- Antiviral innate immune response receptor RIG-I
Sequence:
MEDPRRRTTAPRAKKPSAKRAPTQPSRTRAHAESCGPQRGARSRRAERDGDTTEKPRAPGPRVHPARATELTKDAQPSAMDAAGATARPAVRVPQQQAILDPELPAVREPQPPADPEARKVVRGPSHRRGARSTGQPRAPRGSRKEPDKLKKVLDKLRLKRKDISEAAETVNKVVERLLRRMQKRESEFKGVEQLNTGSYYEHVKISAPNEFDVMFKLEVPRIELQEYYETGAFYLVKFKRIPRGNPLSHFLEGEVLSATKMLSKFRKIIKEEVKEIKDIDVSVEKEKPGSPAVTLLIRNPEEISVDIILALESKGSWPISTKEGLPIQGWLGTKVRTNLRREPFYLVPKNAKDGNSFQGETWRLSFSHTEKYILNNHGIEKTCCESSGAKCCRKECLKLMKYLLEQLKKEFQELDAFCSYHVKTAIFHMWTQDPQDSQWDPRNLSSCFDKLLAFFLECLRTEKLDHYFIPKFNLFSQELIDRKSKEFLSKKIEYERNNGFPIFDKL