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Alpha α and Beta  β Interferons
Many viruses are known to induce interferons that are active against the whole spectrum of viruses. However. interferon appears to be more specific for cells of the species in which it was induced since interferon obtained from mice affords little protection to rat, hamster, chicken or monkey cells.

In man, chromosome 21 is required and perhaps codes for the synthesis of interferon receptor molecules. The anti-viral state has two modes of action which are initiated in cells by the combination of ds RNA in the presence of interferon ds RNA stimulates the phosphorylation of certain cellular proteins.

which impairs their function in the initiation of protein synthesis, (ii) ds RNA activates a ribonuclease which degrades mRNA and hence also stops protein synthesis. How does interferon prevent only viral protein synthesis? i.e. it is specific only to virus and not the host cell protein. We do not know how this operates.