Review
Virology
Juliana G. S. de Lima, Daniel C. F. Lanza
Summary: The 2A/2A-like sequences are widely distributed in different groups of viruses and serve as versatile tools for cleaving proteins of biotechnological interest. The study reported for the first time the occurrence of 2A-like sequences in 69 sequences, highlighting their importance for viral evolution and potential in biotechnological applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nicholas E. Brunk, Reidun Twarock
Summary: The genetic material of a virus is encapsulated in viral protein containers, which can be repurposed as virus-like particles in various nanotechnology applications, balancing stability for protection and instability for efficient release. The geometric characteristics of viral capsids, such as subunit layout and intersubunit interaction network, play a key role in disassembly behavior, with specific viral geometries favored in nature and offering guidance for virus-like particle design in nanotechnology.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Javier Sanchez Romano, Anna Omazic, Mikael Leijon, Asa Hagstrom, Morten Tryland, Juha Kantanen, Tiina Reilas, Ulrika Rockstrom, Valery Fedorov, Ann Albihn
Summary: Reindeer husbandry is crucial for indigenous peoples in the Arctic, but it may also contribute to the transmission of viruses between species. This study revealed a variety of viruses in reindeer, including some previously unknown species, which could potentially pose a threat to both human and animal health in the future.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Virology
Qiao Du, Fang Peng, Qing Xiong, Kejin Xu, Kevin Yi Yang, Mingqiang Wang, Zhitian Wu, Shanying Li, Xiaorui Cheng, Xinjie Rao, Yuyouye Wang, Stephen Kwok-Wing Tsui, Xi Zeng
Summary: In the genome of Beihai amphioxus, 347 viral homologous fragments (HFs) were found, mostly located on 21 genome assembly scaffolds. HFs were preferentially located within protein-coding genes, especially in their CDS regions and promoters. A variety of amphioxus genes with a high frequency of HFs, including histone-related genes, were identified. This comprehensive analysis of viral HFs sheds light on the often overlooked role of viral integration in amphioxus evolution.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benjamin D. Lee, Uri Neri, Simon Roux, Yuri I. Wolf, Antonio Pedro Camargo, Mart Krupovic, Peter Simmonds, Nikos Kyrpides, Uri Gophna, Valerian V. Dolja, Eugene V. Koonin
Summary: We developed a computational pipeline to identify viroid-like cccRNAs and found a 5-fold increase in the number of identified elements compared to previous studies. The presence of viroid-like cccRNAs in diverse transcriptomes and ecosystems suggests that their host range is broader than currently known.
Article
Immunology
Ting Gao, Caixia Gao, Siyu Wu, Yingying Wang, Jiyuan Yin, Yingying Li, Weiwei Zeng, Sven M. Bergmann, Qing Wang
Summary: The study successfully developed GCRV II-based virus-like particles (VLPs) using a bac-to-bac expression system, which demonstrated excellent immunogenicity and showed protective effects in grass carp after immunization.
Article
Immunology
Michal Mark, Shlomit Reich-Zeliger, Erez Greenstein, Adi Biram, Benny Chain, Nir Friedman, Asaf Madi
Summary: The generation of T cell receptors involves random and imprecise somatic recombination, leading to an enormous number of possible T cell receptors. Despite this, public T cell receptors (TCRs) have been frequently reported. This study investigates the extent of TCR publicity during acute resolving Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection in mice and demonstrates the presence of highly shared TCR sequences in effector T cells. Similar hidden public TCR repertoires can also be observed in humans after first exposure to SARS-COV-2. This finding suggests that the expansion of hidden public TCRs following viral infection may be a common feature of adaptive immunity and contribute to the effector and memory response.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Dong-Yang Zhang, Xin-Ming Liu, Wei-Jie Huang, Yao Wang, Khan Anwarullah, Li-Fei Luo, Ze-Xia Gao
Summary: In this study, the genetic variation of wild grass carp populations from the Yangtze River and the Pearl River, as well as a mono-female population, was detected using whole-genome resequencing. The mono-female population showed moderate genetic differentiation from the wild populations and exhibited selective sweeps in key genes associated with important traits. These findings have implications for molecular marker-assisted breeding and conservation strategies of grass carp germplasm resources.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan-Vicente Bou, Rafael Sanjuan
Summary: This study conducted a directed evolution experiment using coxsackievirus B3 to investigate the genetic basis and evolvability of membrane-associated viral shedding. The results showed that specific mutations in the viral capsid protein VP3, such as substitution N63H, significantly altered the ratio of membrane-associated to free viral particles. These findings open new avenues for understanding the mechanisms and implications of membrane-associated viral transmission.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Virology
Melle Holwerda, Laura Laloli, Manon Wider, Lutz Schoenecker, Jens Becker, Mireille Meylan, Ronald Dijkman
Summary: Researchers successfully established a reverse genetic system from a contemporary bovine IDV isolate, which can be used for identification and characterization of viral determinants influencing the broad host tropism of IDV.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Babatunde Olarenwaju Motayo, Olukunle Oluwapamilerin Oluwasemowo, Babatunde Adebiyi Olusola, Paul Akiniyi Akinduti, Olamide T. Arege, Yemisi Dorcas Obafemi, Adedayo Omotayo Faneye, Patrick Omoregie Isibor, Oluwadurotimi Samuel Aworunse, Solomon Uche Oranusi
Summary: The study reveals that the viral population of SARS-CoV-2 in Africa is rapidly diversifying, with the G614G spike protein variant dominating. African SARS-CoV-2 sequences diversified into two lineages, A and B, with B being more diverse.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaochen Zhu, Yingying Zhao, Xianhu Zheng, Xiaowen Sun
Summary: Three mitochondrial DNA sequences were used to assess the genetic diversity of silver carp from three main drainages in China. A total of 98 haplotypes were identified, with 196 variable sites and 116 parsimony-informative sites. AMOVA analysis showed that the majority of the variation was within populations. Phylogenetic tree analysis and mismatch distribution analysis supported population expansion. Establishing breeding farms in the Amur River basin and the Pearl River basin could effectively protect local unique haplotypes.
BIOCHEMICAL GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Suwarak Wannaratana, Wikanda Tunterak, Duangduean Prakairungnamthip, Jiroj Sasipreeyajan, Aunyaratana Thontiravong
Summary: The study investigated the geographic distribution and genetic characteristics of MDV-1 field strains circulating in chickens in Thailand between 2013 and 2021, revealing extensive distribution of MDV-1 field strains in major chicken raising areas, with cluster 1 being predominant. The findings suggested that most of the Thai MDV-1 field strains were potentially highly virulent.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Dror Shitrit, Thomas Hackl, Raphael Laurenceau, Nicolas Raho, Michael C. G. Carlson, Gazalah Sabehi, Daniel A. Schwartz, Sallie W. Chisholm, Debbie Lindell
Summary: This study presents a simple and generalizable method, named REEP, for genetic engineering of cyanophages, enabling direct investigation of key cyanophage genes. The findings suggest that the integration of T7-like cyanophages is transient and does not lead to the formation of stable lysogens.
Article
Immunology
Victoria Primavera, Janine Simmons, Benjamin A. Clark, John G. Neilan, Michael Puckette
Summary: The inclusion of 2B into FMD molecular vaccine constructs enhanced transgene expression when a wildtype 3C protease is present but was detrimental to transgene expression with the 3C(L127P) mutant. This has implications for future molecular FMD vaccine constructs, which may utilize mutant FMDV 3C proteases.
Article
Virology
Roland Zell, Marco Groth, Andi Krumbholz, Jeannette Lange, Anja Philipps, Ralf Duerrwald
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Katrin Bohm, Julia Stroempl, Andi Krumbholz, Roland Zell, Gerard Krause, Claudia Sievers
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Virology
P. Simmonds, A. E. Gorbalenya, H. Harvala, T. Hovi, N. J. Knowles, A. M. Lindberg, M. S. Oberste, A. C. Palmenberg, G. Reuter, T. Skern, C. Tapparel, K. C. Wolthers, P. C. Y. Woo, R. Zell
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2020)
Article
Immunology
Jennifer Bunke, Kerstin Receveur, Ann Christin Oeser, Imke Gutsmann, Sabine Schubert, Rainer Podschun, Roland Zell, Helmut Fickenscher, Andi Krumbholz
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Roland Zell, Alexander E. Gorbalenya, Nick J. Knowles, Peter Simmonds, Tim Skern
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Virology
Roland Zell, Marco Groth, Andi Krumbholz, Jeannette Lange, Anja Philipps, Ralf Duerrwald
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Volker Deckert, Tanja Deckert-Gaudig, Dana Cialla-May, Juergen Popp, Roland Zell, Stefanie Deinhard-Emmer, Alexei V. Sokolov, Zhenhuan Yi, Marlan O. Scully
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roland Zell, Marco Groth, Andi Krumbholz, Jeannette Lange, Anja Philipps, Ralf Duerrwald
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Biology
Rene Huber, Sandra Augsten, Holger Kirsten, Roland Zell, Axel Stelzner, Hansjorg Thude, Thorsten Eidner, Bruno Stuhlmueller, Peter Ahnert, Raimund W. Kinne
Summary: The study examined mutations in AP-1 subunits in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients, identifying new genetic variants that could potentially contribute to joint inflammation and destruction in RA. Functional cfos/cjun mutants altered the transactivation capacity of AP-1 complexes, suggesting their involvement in local joint pathology in certain RA cases.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Akbar Dastjerdi, David J. Everest, Hannah Davies, Daniela Denk, Roland Zell
Summary: Dicistroviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses primarily found in arthropods, causing devastating diseases in species like honeybees. A novel dicistrovirus was detected in a captive red squirrel with enteritis, showing potential for diverse effects but with unknown clinical significance in mammals, especially red squirrels.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Stefanie Deinhardt-Emmer, Sarah Boettcher, Clio Haering, Liane Giebeler, Andreas Henke, Roland Zell, Johannes Jungwirth, Paul M. Jordan, Oliver Werz, Franziska Hornung, Christian Brandt, Mike Marquet, Alexander S. Mosig, Mathias W. Pletz, Michael Schacke, Jurgen Roedel, Regine Heller, Sandor Nietzsche, Bettina Loeffler, Christina Ehrhardt
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 efficiently infects epithelial cells and damages both epithelial and endothelial cells, resulting in barrier dysfunction that allows viral spread. The study demonstrates that viral-induced host factors disrupt the epithelial-endothelial barrier function and promote viral dissemination.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Roland Zell, Nick J. Knowles, Peter Simmonds
Summary: The highly diverse virus family Picornaviridae comprises 68 approved genera with 158 species, and the establishment of five subfamilies is proposed to better classify picornaviruses. These subfamilies are defined by phylogenetic analyses and typically show some commonalities in genome organization and protein homology among members, while specific features vary within and between genera. The addition of subfamilies provides an additional organizational level that recognizes higher-level evolutionary groupings of picornavirus genera.
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ruben Rose, Anne-Kathrin Brunnemann, Simon Baukmann, Sarah Buehler, Helmut Fickenscher, Andreas Sauerbrei, Roland Zell, Andi Krumbholz
Summary: ACV and FOS resistance in HSV-1 strains can be induced by certain amino acid changes in the POL gene, while other changes do not contribute to resistance. These data suggest that the underlying nucleotide substitutions of the POL gene should be considered as natural polymorphism, which can improve sequence-based prediction of antiviral susceptibility.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Correction
Infectious Diseases
Maria Reckziegel, Claudia Weber-Osel, Renate Egerer, Bernd Gruhn, Florian Kubek, Mario Walther, Stefanie Wilhelm, Roland Zell, Andi Krumbholz
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Roland Zell, Marco Groth, Lukas Selinka, Hans-Christoph Selinka
Summary: In this study, metagenomic analysis of water from the river Havel in Berlin, Germany was conducted to investigate the diversity of picorna-like viruses. The results revealed a wide range of viral sequences, including various families and unclassified viruses. This study highlights the importance of studying the viromes of riverine ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
