Article
Microbiology
Monica E. Graham, Camille Merrick, Benjamin M. Akiyama, Matthew J. Szucs, Sarah Leach, Jeffery S. Kieft, J. David Beckham
Summary: The researchers made targeted mutations in the dumbbell region of the Zika virus RNA structure and found that these mutations significantly weakened the virus, reducing its ability to produce non-coding RNA that is necessary for infection, virus-induced cell death, and evasion of the host immune system. These findings suggest that targeted mutations in the flavivirus dumbbell RNA structure could be an important approach for developing future vaccine candidates.
Article
Virology
Hengxia Jia, Yao Zhong, Chao Peng, Peng Gong
Summary: This study reports high-resolution crystal structures of MTase, which helps us understand the multi-step process of viral RNA capping. The structures capture previously unidentified GMP-arginine adducts and provide insights into the guanylyl transfer and methylation steps involved in capping.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
George Minasov, Monica Rosas-Lemus, Ludmilla Shuvalova, Nicole L. Inniss, Joseph S. Brunzelle, Courtney M. Daczkowski, Paul Hoover, Andrew D. Mesecar, Karla J. F. Satchell
Summary: Methylation of viral mRNA caps is essential for translation efficiency, virus replication, and evasion of host cell innate immune responses. The SARS-CoV-2 2'-O-methyltransferase reaction requires divalent cations, preferably Mn2+, and a coronavirus-specific four-residue insert. The unique insert in coronavirus nsp16 alters the capped RNA conformation, making it a potential target for designing selective coronavirus inhibitors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chen Xiao, Kaien Li, Jingmin Hua, Zhao He, Feng Zhang, Qiongfang Li, Hailei Zhang, Lei Yang, Shuying Pan, Zongwei Cai, Zhiling Yu, Kam-Bo Wong, Yiji Xia
Summary: Arabidopsis DXO1 is an essential component in the methylation of the guanosine cap to form the m(7)G cap. It activates RNA guanosine-7 methyltransferase (AtRNMT1) to catalyze this conversion. This study reveals an important mechanism in m(7)G capping in plants and the role of DXO1 in this process.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
WeiChao Hao, MeiJuan Dian, Ying Zhou, QiuLing Zhong, WenQian Pang, ZiJian Li, YaYan Zhao, JiaCheng Ma, XiaoLin Lin, RenRu Luo, YongLong Li, JunShuang Jia, HongFen Shen, ShiHao Huang, GuanQi Dai, JiaHong Wang, Yan Sun, Dong Xiao
Summary: The m(6)A modification plays a crucial role in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis and adapting to nutrient deficiency. The m(6)A reader YTHDF3 is essential for autophagy induction and promotes autophagosome formation and lysosomal degradation upon nutrient deficiency.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chen Li, Pengfei Xu, Yurong Huang, Yuting Wang, Yajie Wu, Hui Li, Yanhui Peng, Xiao Wang, Guoying Li, Juan He, Chenggui Miao
Summary: Depression is a complex disorder caused by various factors. RNA methylations play a key role in many biological mechanisms and are closely linked to depression. Recent research has deepened our understanding of the pathogenesis of depression and provided new targets for its prevention and treatment.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiri Frantisek Potuznik, Ondrej Nesuta, Anton Skriba, Barbora Volenikova, Maria-Bianca Mititelu, Flaminia Mancini, Valentina Serianni, Henri Fernandez, Kristina Spustova, Jana Trylcova, Pavel Vopalensky, Hana Cahova
Summary: The expansion of RNA chemical modifications has revealed new aspects of gene regulation. We discovered a new non-canonical RNA cap, Ap(4)A, which is abundant in human and rat cell lines. Our study showed that Ap(4)A-RNA is recognized as self by the cell and does not elicit an immune response.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael J. Osborne, Laurent Volpon, Mina Memarpoor-Yazdi, Shubhadra Pillay, Aksharh Thambipillai, Sylwia Czarnota, Biljana Culjkovic-Kraljacic, Christian Trahan, Marlene Oeffinger, Victoria H. Cowling, Katherine L. B. Borden
Summary: The cap-binding protein eIF4E directly binds to the cap-maturation enzyme RNMT, playing a crucial role in RNA metabolism and cap processing.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Nils Muthmann, Petr Spacek, Dennis Reichert, Melissa van Duelmen, Andrea Rentmeister
Summary: Enzymatic modification of the 5'-cap is a versatile approach to modulate mRNA properties by transferring methyl groups or functional moieties at the cap. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is essential for quantifying MTase-mediated cap modifications with sensitivity and accuracy.
Review
Cell Biology
Louis De Falco, Nelly M. Silva, Nuno C. Santos, Roland G. Huber, Ivo C. Martins
Summary: The circularization of viral genomes plays vital roles in the viral life cycle, with genomic structures and associated host factors being crucial for this process in flaviviruses. Sequence motifs and RNA structures are key elements involved in circularization, contributing to viral proliferation and replication.
Review
Immunology
Lin Lei, Anchun Cheng, Mingshu Wang, Renyong Jia
Summary: This article discusses the relationships between miRNAs in host cells and RNA viruses, including the regulation of gene expression by miRNAs and their impact on RNA virus replication.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiao-Han Liu, Bang-Rui Li, Zhan-Ming Ying, Li-Juan Tang, Fenglin Wang, Jian-Hui Jiang
Summary: The study introduces a new concept of small-molecule-mediated split-aptamer assembly for inducible CRISPR-dCas9 transcription activation. It demonstrates the quantitative detection and imaging of S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) in live cells using this inducible transcription system.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Milda Mickute, Kotryna Kvederaviciute, Aleksandr Osipenko, Raminta Mineikaite, Saulius Klimasauskas, Giedrius Vilkaitis
Summary: The study presents a novel chemo-enzymatic approach using RNA 2'-O-methyltransferases to append an adapter to target RNA for sequencing library preparation. This method efficiently identifies RNA species, avoiding misdetection of highly-structured RNA. The findings provide valuable resources for RNA-centered regulatory network studies and could potentially advance the analysis of eukaryotic and prokaryotic ssRNAs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cristina Romero-Lopez, Margarita Roda-Herreros, Beatriz Berzal-Herranz, Sara Esther Ramos-Lorente, Alfredo Berzal-Herranz
Summary: RNA viruses rely on RNA-RNA interactions involving genomic structural elements for viral replication and translation. In this study, intra- and intermolecular RNA-RNA interactions in the 3' UTR of the West Nile virus genome are observed, with intermolecular interactions forming molecular dimers. Functional analysis suggests a relationship between 3' UTR dimerization and viral translation efficiency. These findings imply the existence of a network of RNA-RNA interactions involving 3' UTR structural elements that regulate viral translation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gatikrushna Singh, Bradley Seufzer, Zhenwei Song, Dora Zucko, Xiao Heng, Kathleen Boris-Lawrie
Summary: This study reveals the relationship between incomplete processing and hypermethylation of HIV-1 transcripts, as well as the role of trimethylguanosine synthetase-1 in HIV-1 infectivity and protein synthesis. The study also uncovers the interaction between nuclear RNA helicase A and the shape of the 5' untranslated region primer binding site, and the relationship between HIV-1 virion protein synthesis and host translation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Qiang Fu, Bahar Inankur, John Yin, Rob Striker, Que Lan
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Microbiology
Daniel A. Pensinger, Kyle M. Boldon, Grischa Y. Chen, William J. B. Vincent, Kyle Sherman, Meng Xiong, Adam J. Schaenzer, Emily R. Forster, Jorn Coers, Rob Striker, John-Demian Sauer
Article
Cell Biology
Hannah M. Pezzi, Scott M. Berry, David J. Beebe, Rob Striker
INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Adam J. Schaenzer, Nathan Wlodarchak, David H. Drewry, William J. Zuercher, Warren E. Rose, Rob Striker, John-Demian Sauer
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2017)
Article
Microbiology
Joseph A. McBride, Rob Striker
Article
Emergency Medicine
Kazuaki Jindai, Bethaney Kunzer, Tam T. Van, Rob Striker
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
(2014)
Article
Microbiology
Daniel A. Pensinger, Matthew T. Aliota, Adam J. Schaenzer, Kyle M. Boldon, Israr-ul H. Ansari, William J. B. Vincent, Benjamin Knight, Michelle L. Reniere, Rob Striker, John-Demian Sauer
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2014)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Amanda Carlson, Zachery Gregorich, Rob Striker
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2013)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Dipankar Bhattacharya, Israrul H. Ansari, Robert Hamatake, Jill Walker, Wieslaw M. Kazmierski, Rob Striker
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY
(2014)
Article
Microbiology
Rob Striker, Andrew Mehle
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Adam J. Schaenzer, Nathan Wlodarchak, David H. Drewry, William J. Zuercher, Warren E. Rose, Carla A. Ferrer, John-Demian Sauer, Rob Striker
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dawit Wolday, Yazezew Kebede, Dorsisa Legesse, Dawd S. Siraj, Joseph A. McBride, Mitchell J. Kirsch, Robert Striker
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Nathan Wlodarchak, John B. Feltenberger, Zhengqing Ye, Jeffrey Beczkiewicz, Rebecca Procknow, Gang Yan, Troy M. King, Jennifer E. Golden, Rob Striker
Summary: The novel class of PknB inhibitors developed in this study shows improved specificity and reduced toxicity, holding promise for tuberculosis treatment.
ACS MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jonathan Stem, Qiuyu Yang, Evie Carchman, Robert Striker, Cristina B. Sanger
Summary: The study found that NLR and PNI are significantly associated with the risk of anal cancer in PLWH, while PLR is not. An NLR value of >= 1.64 can help identify those at risk, making it a promising marker for screening and surveillance in HIV patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COLORECTAL DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
A. B. Corey, D. Sonetti, J. D. Maloney, S. P. Montgomery, B. L. Rademacher, L. J. Taylor, J. A. Smith, R. Striker
CASE REPORTS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2017)
Article
Virology
Naiqing Xu, Xinen Tang, Xin Wang, Miao Cai, Xiaowen Liu, Xiaolong Lu, Shunlin Hu, Min Gu, Jiao Hu, Ruyi Gao, Kaituo Liu, Yu Chen, Xiufan Liu, Xiaoquan Wang
Summary: This study found that the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus has a high airborne transmissibility, while the H7N9 virus does not. The Hemagglutinin protein of the H9N2 virus was found to play a key role in replication, stability, and airborne transmission.
Article
Virology
Samar S. Ewies, Sabry M. Tamam, Ahmed S. Abdel-Moneim, Sherin R. Rouby
Summary: Contagious ecthyma (CE) is a highly contagious viral disease of sheep and goats worldwide. The study provided a clinical description of CE and screened for genetic variation in the B2L gene. Infected sheep exhibited anorexia and oral lesions, while inoculated chicken embryos showed pock lesions. The B2L gene was successfully amplified and found to be highly conserved.
Article
Virology
Yigal Farnoushi, Dan Heller, Avishai Lublin
Summary: In recent years, new variants of avian reovirus (ARV) have caused a variety of symptoms in chickens worldwide, including viral arthritis/tenosynovitis. This study analyzed emerging ARV variants in Israel and found significant genetic diversity. Most ARV isolates in Israel belonged to genotypic cluster 5 (GC5). The study suggests that Israel has not experienced the emergence of new ARV variants since the introduction of the live vaccine (ISR-7585), but ongoing monitoring is needed due to the continuous emergence of ARV variants.
Article
Virology
Shigeru Tajima, Michiyo Kataoka, Yuki Takamatsu, Hideki Ebihara, Chang-Kweng Lim
Summary: Yokose virus (YOKV), a bat-associated flavivirus, was found to replicate at a slower rate in mosquito cells compared to other mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Specific nucleotide mutations in the virus were identified to enhance its proliferation ability in mosquito cells.
Article
Virology
Alejandra Borjabad, Baojun Dong, Wei Chao, David J. Volsky, Mary Jane Potash
Summary: This study investigated HIV brain disease using a mouse model, and found that poly I:C can reverse associated cognitive impairment and reduce virus burden. The results also revealed transcriptional changes related to neuronal function and innate immune responses.
Article
Virology
Ching-Hung Lin, Feng-Cheng Hsieh, Meilin Wang, Chieh Hsu, Hsuan-Wei Hsu, Chun-Chun Yang, Cheng-Yao Yang, Hung-Yi Wu
Summary: This study demonstrates that the synthesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNA is not solely determined by the sequence homology between the leader TRS and TRS-B, but also by the disassociation of the coronavirus polymerase from the viral genome. This finding provides a new insight into the transcription mechanism of coronaviruses.
Article
Virology
Nicholas S. Kron, Benjamin W. Neuman, Sathish Kumar, Patricia L. Blackwelder, Dayana Vidal, Delphina Z. Walker-Phelan, Patrick D. I. Gibbs, Lynne A. Fieber, Michael C. Schmale
Summary: Two recent studies documented the genome of a novel virus in marine animals, finding that the virus is widespread in apparently healthy animals but not highly expressed in neurons. The studies also identified viral replication factories and high levels of defective genomes in chronically infected animals.
Article
Virology
Andrew M. Ramey, Laura C. Scott, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Evan J. Buck, Alison R. Williams, Mia Kim Torchetti, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson
Summary: We successfully detected and characterized highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in hunter-harvested wild waterfowl samples from western Alaska. Genomic analysis revealed three independent viral introductions into Alaska. Our findings demonstrate the utility and potential limitations of using molecular processing approaches directly on original swab samples for viral research and monitoring.
Article
Virology
Ting Gong, Dongdong Wu, Yongzhi Feng, Xing Liu, Qi Gao, Xiaoyu Zheng, Zebu Song, Heng Wang, Guihong Zhang, Lang Gong
Summary: This study discovered that quercetin can inhibit PEDV replication both in vivo and in vitro, and alleviate the clinical symptoms and intestinal injury caused by the virus. This provides a new direction for the development of PED antiviral drugs.
Article
Virology
Min Zhu, Hao Zeng, Jianqiao He, Yaohui Zhu, Pingping Wang, Jianing Guo, Jinfan Guo, Huabo Zhou, Yifeng Qin, Kang Ouyang, Zuzhang Wei, Weijian Huang, Ying Chen
Summary: The reassortment between avian H9N2 and Eurasian avian-like (EA) H1N1 viruses may have potentially changed from avian-to-mammals adaptation. This study found that the introduction of EA H1N1 internal genes into H9N2 virus restored the replication capability and resulted in extreme virulence in some cases. This raises new concerns for public health due to the possible coexistence of H9N2 and EA H1N1 viruses in dogs.