Tracing the Evolutionary Origin of Interferon to Basal Chordates and Unveiling Its Antiviral Functionality in Jawless Vertebrates
Xinli Wang, Qinghuan Wang, Anni Xie, Lisi Deng, Ziwen Huang, Y ZHAO, Yange Cao, Rong Fu, Weicong Huo, Yuehua Chen, Guang Li, A W Xu, Shaochun Yuan
This study identifies IFN homologs in jawless vertebrates and demonstrates their antiviral function, tracing the evolutionary origin of IFN to basal chordates.
bioRxiv · Jun 3, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology