Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chunyan Niu, Lianhua Dong, Yunhua Gao, Yongzhuo Zhang, Xia Wang, Jing Wang
Summary: Nucleic acid detection and quantification is crucial in various fields, with different methods like digital PCR for DNA and reverse transcription for RNA. This study developed an HPLC method combined with enzymatic digestion for accurate RNA quantification, showing disparities in RT efficiency and the need for optimization. The HPLC method proved to be useful in quantifying RNA molecules and evaluating RT efficiency.
Review
Virology
Takehiro Kanda, Keizo Tomonaga
Summary: This review summarizes the research progress on the characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms of Borna disease virus 1, a neurotropic virus. It points out that the mechanism by which the virus causes fatal encephalitis in humans is still unclear, and effective vaccines or antiviral drugs are currently lacking. Furthermore, it explores the recent progress in rescuing the virus using reverse genetics.
Review
Plant Sciences
Mohsen Niazian, Francois Belzile, Davoud Torkamaneh
Summary: Sequence and expression data obtained by next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based forward genetics methods allow the identification of candidate causal genes. Reverse genetics techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9, are valuable for providing experimental evidence of a gene's function.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander Yemelin, Annamaria Brauchler, Stefan Jacob, Andrew J. Foster, Julian Laufer, Larissa Heck, Luis Antelo, Karsten Andresen, Eckhard Thines
Summary: Diseases caused by dimorphic phytopathogenic and systemic dimorphic fungi have increased in prevalence. Understanding the morphogenic transition to the virulent state may provide novel means of controlling these fungi. This study identified two novel factors involved in the transition to the pathogenic state and gained insight into their role using transcriptome analysis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Virology
Yuta Kanai, Misa Onishi, Takahiro Kawagishi, Pimfhun Pannacha, Jeffery A. Nurdin, Ryotaro Nouda, Moeko Yamasaki, Tina Lusiany, Pattara Khamrin, Shoko Okitsu, Satoshi Hayakawa, Hirotaka Ebina, Hiroshi Ushijima, Takeshi Kobayashi
Summary: Reverse genetics has been used to develop a new vaccine platform capable of generating recombinant rotaviruses carrying specific VP4 and VP7 genes, providing a promising approach for rapid vaccine production.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yanli Wang, David E. Salt, Maarten Koornneef, Mark G. M. Aarts
Summary: A mutant library for Noccaea caerulescens was successfully established using a non-transgenic approach, providing a useful resource for forward mutant screens and TILLING. Mutants with altered mineral concentrations were identified through ionomics screening.
Review
Immunology
Krithiga Natesan, Shrikrishna Isloor, Balamurugan Vinayagamurthy, Sharada Ramakrishnaiah, Rathnamma Doddamane, Anthony R. Fooks
Summary: Rabies is an ancient disease with a long history, and efforts to prevent it have been made since the first interactions between humans and dogs. In the past 100 years, significant progress has been made in developing vaccines for both humans and animals, with next-generation vaccines showing increased immunogenicity and clinical efficacy.
Article
Virology
GuanQun Liu, Michaela U. U. Gack
Summary: An optimized CPER methodology was developed in this study, which overcame certain intrinsic limitations of traditional CPER approaches for SARS-CoV-2 and allowed for efficient virus rescue through the use of a modified linker plasmid and direct transfection of permissive cells. This optimized method may facilitate research on the contribution of SARS-CoV-2 genes, virus replication, pathogenesis, immune escape, and can be adapted to other viruses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shuxia Peng, Xiangzhi Meng, Fushun Zhang, Prabhat Kumar Pathak, Juhi Chaturvedi, Jaime Coronado, Marisol Morales, Yuanhui Mao, Shu-Bing Qian, Junpeng Deng, Yan Xiang
Summary: A SAMD9/9L effector domain has been identified, which functions by binding to double-stranded nucleic acids. The structure and function of this domain provide a therapeutic target for SAMD9/9L-associated diseases.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryotaro Nouda, Shohei Minami, Yuta Kanai, Takahiro Kawagishi, Jeffery A. Nurdin, Moeko Yamasaki, Ryusei Kuwata, Hiroshi Shimoda, Ken Maeda, Takeshi Kobayashi
Summary: Reverse genetics systems are powerful tools for investigating viral gene function and vaccine development. This study developed a plasmid-based reverse genetics system for Tarumizu tick virus (TarTV) of the genus Coltivirus, enhancing understanding of the replication machinery of the Reoviridae family.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Adriano Chio, Cristina Moglia, Antonio Canosa, Umberto Manera, Maurizio Grassano, Rosario Vasta, Francesca Palumbo, Salvatore Gallone, Maura Brunetti, Marco Barberis, Fabiola De Marchi, Clifton Dalgard, Ruth Chia, Gabriele Mora, Barbara Iazzolino, Laura Peotta, Bryan Traynor, Lucia Corrado, Sandra D'Alfonso, Letizia Mazzini, Andrea Calvo
Summary: In Italian patients with ALS, those carrying intermediate ATXN2 polyQ repeats exhibit a faster disease progression, shorter survival, and more severe cognitive impairment.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Chon Phin Ong, Zi-Wei Ye, Kaiming Tang, Ronghui Liang, Yubin Xie, Hongzhuo Zhang, Zhenzhi Qin, Haoran Sun, Tong-Yun Wang, Yun Cheng, Hin Chu, Jasper F. -W. Chan, Dong-Yan Jin, Shuofeng Yuan
Summary: The study compared the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.12.1 and BA.5.2 variants in cell culture and hamster models. It found that the BA.5.2 variant exhibited stronger replication ability in vitro and in vivo, and was not affected by immune selection pressure from vaccine-induced antibodies. By constructing a mutant SARS-CoV-2, it was discovered that the F486V substitution was not the sole factor contributing to the dominance of BA.5.2, but a combination of multiple mutations.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sheng-Chieh Lin, Geng-Hao Bai, Pei-Chun Lin, Chung-Yung Chen, Yi-Hsiang Hsu, Yuan-Chang Lee, Shih-Yen Chen
Summary: Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, and their high mutation rate and recombination potential pose challenges in studying their genetic diversity and evolution. Recent advances in technology have allowed for the detection and analysis of complete genome sequences of noroviruses, as well as the tracing of their evolution and genetic diversity. The inability to cultivate infectious viruses in cell models has hindered the understanding of HuNoV infection mechanisms and the development of antiviral drugs. However, reverse genetics has shown promise in recovering and generating infectious viral particles, providing an alternative method for studying viral infection mechanisms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mathilde Briday, Francois Halle, Lauriane Lecoq, Sylvie Radix, Juliette Martin, Roland Montserret, Marie Dujardin, Marie-Laure Fogeron, Michael Nassal, Beat H. Meier, Thierry Lomberget, Anja Bockmann
Summary: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant human pathogen and its capsid-forming core protein (Cp) plays a key role in envelopment. Recent studies have found that Triton X-100, a detergent used in Cp purification, strongly binds to the hydrophobic pocket of Cp. The aromatic moiety is crucial for binding, while the aliphatic chain affects binding affinity. Moreover, the hydrophilic tail shows high tolerance to changes in length and type.
Review
Virology
Yuta Kanai, Takeshi Kobayashi
Summary: Rotaviruses cause acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. Since 2006, live-attenuated vaccines have reduced the number of deaths, but RV still causes estimated 228,047 annual deaths worldwide. A helper virus-free reverse genetics system for RV was established in 2017, leading to generation of recombinant RVs and verifying the robustness of reverse genetics systems.
Article
Virology
Bernard Moss
ANNUAL REVIEW OF VIROLOGY, VOL 7, 2020
(2020)
Article
Virology
Andrew Tak, Jeffrey L. Americo, Ulrike S. Diesterbeck, Bernard Moss
Summary: Experimental evolution showed adaptive mutations in viruses lacking the O3 gene, with variants containing F9L, L5R, and D8L mutations exhibiting higher virus titers. The F9L mutation appeared earlier in three independent passages than the L5R and D8L mutations. Further analysis revealed that the adaptive F9L mutants had increased infectivity, faster cell entry, and enhanced EFC assembly.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ruikang Liu, Jeffrey L. Americo, Catherine A. Cotter, Patricia L. Earl, Noam Erez, Chen Peng, Bernard Moss
Summary: Research on modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) expressing the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 showed promising results in inducing antibodies and CD8+ T cells, protecting transgenic mice from lethal infection, preventing nasal infection, reducing cytokine expression, and effectively terminating virus replication in vaccinated animals.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Virology
Noam Erez, Linda S. Wyatt, Jeffrey L. Americo, Wei Xiao, Bernard Moss
Summary: The study identified spontaneous mutations in MVA that led to increased replication in monkey BS-C-1 cells but minimal effects in human cells, mainly due to amino acid substitutions in the D10 decapping enzyme. Despite the mutations being distant from the active site of the decapping enzyme, engineered mutations still enhanced virus replication in BS-C-1 cells. The impact of these mutations on the immunogenicity of MVA vectors requires further investigation.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Alexander M. Schin, Ulrike S. Diesterbeck, Bernard Moss
Summary: Poxviruses have a complex entry-fusion complex (EFC) comprised of 11 conserved proteins, and the proximity of individual EFC proteins in living cells was determined using a tripartite split green fluorescent protein assay. A network connecting components of the EFC was derived, confirming previous protein interactions and discovering new ones.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Tatiana G. Senkevich, Natalya Yutin, Yuri Wolf, Eugene Koonin, Bernard Moss
Summary: The survival of viruses relies on their ability to resist host defenses and certain genes play a crucial role in this process. Poxviruses, like Orthopoxviruses (ORPV), have a significant number of genes dedicated to counteracting host immunity. Through evolution, ORPV acquired accessory genes in three major waves, leading to gene duplication and the formation of gene families. Interestingly, most accessory genes were lost during ORPV evolution, suggesting a variety of functional interactions within this virus family.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Bernard Moss, Geoffrey L. Smith
Article
Microbiology
Ruikang Liu, Jeffrey L. Americo, Patricia L. Earl, Jack Villani, Catherine A. Cotter, Bernard Moss
Summary: The difference in pathogenicity between the pathogenic isolate clone 3 (CL3) and the second-generation smallpox vaccine ACAM2000 is associated with truncation of the interferon alpha/beta (IFN-alpha/beta) decoy receptor. Viruses expressing the full-length decoy receptor are more virulent in mouse models.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeffrey L. Americo, Catherine A. Cotter, Patricia L. Earl, Ruikang Liu, Bernard Moss
Summary: Intranasal administration of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induces stronger immune responses compared to intramuscular administration, with higher levels of antibodies and specific T cells. Additionally, intranasal vaccination can prevent or rapidly eliminate SARS-CoV-2 infection.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeffrey L. Americo, Patricia L. Earl, Bernard Moss
Summary: Monkeypox, a disease similar to smallpox, has become endemic in Africa with limited human-to-human transmission. However, in 2022, the disease spread globally, driven by human-to-human transmission outside of Africa. It is still unclear whether this is due to behavioral factors or the virus adapting to a new host. Genome sequencing revealed differences between the current outbreak strain (clade IIb) and previous strains (clade IIa and clade I), but the impact of these differences on virulence or transmission is yet to be determined. Using a mouse model, researchers found that the clade I virus was more virulent than the clade IIa and IIb.1 strains, suggesting that clade IIb may be evolving diminished virulence or adapting to other species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Pascal Mutz, Wolfgang Resch, Guilhem Faure, Tatiana G. Senkevich, Eugene V. Koonin, Bernard Moss
Summary: Protein structures are more conserved in evolution than amino acid sequences, making comparative structural analysis important for tracing the origins of rapidly evolving viral proteins. By using AlphaFold2, the structures of orthopoxvirus proteins were predicted, revealing the exaptation of host enzymes for nonenzymatic roles in virus reproduction. This study highlights the unique structural folds of many viral proteins.
Article
Immunology
Catherine A. Cotter, Jeffrey L. Americo, Patricia L. Earl, Bernard Moss
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines show limited effectiveness against variant strains in preventing infection and transmission, highlighting the need for enhanced protection. Inbred mice expressing human SARS-CoV-2 receptor were used to investigate the efficacy of recombinant MVAs expressing modified S proteins against different strains. Vaccines expressing Wuhan, Beta, and Delta S induced cross-neutralizing activities, while Omicron-specific neutralizing antibody predominately occurred with the rMVA expressing Omicron S. Monovalent vaccines with S mismatched to the challenge virus still provided protection against severe disease, but intranasal administration of rMVAs showed better outcomes in reducing viral load in the lungs and nasal turbinates.
Article
Microbiology
Ruikang Liu, Jeffrey L. Americo, Patricia L. Earl, Jack Villani, Catherine A. Cotter, Bernard Moss
Summary: The more pathogenic Clone 3 (CL3) virus compared to ACAM2000 is attributed to the presence of a full-length IFN-alpha/beta decoy receptor in CL3 and a truncation of the receptor in ACAM2000. Experimental evidence shows that viruses expressing the full-length decoy receptor cause more severe diseases in mice.