Article
Behavioral Sciences
Monica A. Mowery, Yael Lubin, Ally Harari, Andrew C. Mason, Maydianne C. B. Andrade
Summary: The study found that recently established populations of brown widow spiders exhibit more dispersal and exploratory behavior, as well as being larger and more fecund, with more flexible resource allocation. This trend was not observed in populations in the United States. Additionally, there were differing trade-offs among fecundity, dispersal, and size in populations in both the United States and Israel due to different time intervals and number of generations since establishment.
Article
Virology
Peter J. Kerr, Isabella M. Cattadori, Derek Sim, June Liu, Edward C. Holmes, Andrew F. Read
Summary: This study investigated the virulence and disease phenotypes of recent isolates of myxoma virus in Australian rabbits. The viruses showed different levels of virulence, causing acute death with minimal signs of myxomatosis and bacterial invasions, but no inflammatory response. Some rabbits developed an amyxomatous phenotype. It was also found that certain laboratory rabbits had innate resistance to myxomatosis. The alterations in disease pathogenesis and bacterial invasions suggest that the virulence grades of modern viruses cannot be directly compared with earlier studies.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yanlong Li, Yaoyao Li, Yuanyuan Chen, Maojun Wang, Jing Yang, Xianlong Zhang, Longfu Zhu, Jie Kong, Ling Min
Summary: This study classified cotton CKI genes into two types based on their structural characteristics, and found that they likely diverged 1.5 billion years ago. The highly expressed CKI genes in leaves showed stronger response to photoperiod and light signals, while those expressed in anthers displayed heat-inducible expression. This study provides valuable insights into the evolutionary history of cotton CKI genes and their functions in specific developmental processes and environmental stress conditions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jamie M. Caldwell, A. Desiree LaBeaud, Eric F. Lambin, Anna M. Stewart-Ibarra, Bryson A. Ndenga, Francis M. Mutuku, Amy R. Krystosik, Efrain Beltran Ayala, Assaf Anyamba, Mercy J. Borbor-Cordova, Richard Damoah, Elysse N. Grossi-Soyster, Froilan Heras Heras, Harun N. Ngugi, Sadie J. Ryan, Melisa M. Shah, Rachel Sippy, Erin A. Mordecai
Summary: Climate has complex effects on population dynamics and vector-borne diseases, with seemingly opposing effects in different contexts. Models incorporating laboratory-measured physiological traits of mosquitoes can predict outbreak characteristics in diverse settings, yet with variable accuracy. The effects of climate on disease dynamics are highly dependent on specific contexts, such as population demographics and environmental factors.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sandrine Kappler-Gratias, Leo Bucher, Sokunthea Top, Charlotte Quentin-Froignant, Nicolas Desbois, Stephane Bertagnoli, Matthieu Louison, Emma Monge, Alain Bousquet-Melou, Marlene Lacroix, Claude P. Gros, Franck Gallardo
Summary: Experimental results demonstrate that a corrole compound shows the most promising antiviral effects against the myxoma virus, displaying high selectivity and low IC50, with easy synthesis. Furthermore, the compound exhibits no significant toxicity, and in vivo tests indicate that it can alleviate symptoms and promote weight gain in infected animals.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Virology
Weixin Wu, Xinna Ge, Yongning Zhang, Jun Han, Xin Guo, Lei Zhou, Hanchun Yang
Summary: This study analyzed the codon usage of ORF5 genes from different PRRSV strains in China, revealing a relationship between viral evolution and host adaptation. Results showed that all strains had low codon bias, with lineage 1 showing a higher similarity to pig codon usage patterns and potentially having a predominant epidemic propensity in the field.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Gonzalo Lopez-Lorenzo, Cynthia Lopez-Novo, Alberto Prieto, Jose Manuel Diaz, Julian Gullon, Jose Luis Arnal, Alfredo Benito, Pablo Diaz, Rosario Panadero, Pablo Diez-Banos, Kevin P. Dalton, Francisco Parra, Gonzalo Fernandez
Summary: The study found that MYXV was detected in the environment of infected farms, while samples from non-infected farms were negative. All positive samples contained viral DNA compatible with field strains. Current vaccination schemes alone are not sufficient to prevent the disease and should be accompanied by adequate biosecurity measures.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jibin Miao, Perla Farhat, Wentao Wang, Markus Ruhsam, Richard Milne, Heng Yang, Sonam Tso, Jialiang Li, Jingjing Xu, Lars Opgenoorth, Georg Miehe, Kangshan Mao
Summary: This study explores the genetic variation, speciation, and demographic history of two narrow-endemic juniper species from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results show that the two species diverged in the late Pliocene and continued interspecific gene flow until the Last Glacial Maximum. Additionally, it highlights differences in habitat adaptation, genetic diversity, and genetic load between the two species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mahan Ghafari, Peter Simmonds, Oliver G. Pybus, Aris Katzourakis
Summary: This study provides a predictive mechanistic model to explain the rate decay phenomenon of viruses and successfully applies it to re-estimate the date of diversification of hepatitis C virus genotypes, as well as the origin time of the most recent common ancestor of sarbecoviruses. By studying the evolutionary processes of viruses, it offers a new perspective for us to understand the origins of these viruses.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Megan L. Power, Nicole M. Foley, Gareth Jones, Emma C. Teeling
Summary: Bats, constituting over 20% of all living mammals, exhibit extraordinary adaptations and unique immune systems that enable them to tolerate viral infections. They also show extreme longevity and diversity in physiological and ecological aspects. Studies suggest that telomere maintenance may underpin bats' extended healthspan, highlighting the need for further functional research.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jihua Hao, Winnie Liu, Jennifer L. Goff, Jeffrey A. Steadman, Ross R. Large, Paul G. Falkowski, Nathan Yee
Summary: The article discusses a photochemical mechanism of pyrite weathering that could have provided substantial amounts of sulfate to the oceans during the late Archean period. Experiments showed that pyrite grains exposed to UV light in anoxic ferrous iron solutions produced high concentrations of sulfate. Additional experiments with shale demonstrated that photochemically derived ferric iron could oxidize and dissolve sedimentary pyrite during chemical weathering. The results suggest that before the rise of atmospheric oxygen, oxidative pyrite weathering on Archean continents was controlled by sunlight exposure.
Article
Oncology
John D. Christie, Nicole Appel, Liqiang Zhang, Kenneth Lowe, Jacquelyn Kilbourne, Juliane Daggett-Vondras, Natalie Elliott, Alexandra R. Lucas, Joseph N. Blattman, Masmudur M. Rahman, Grant McFadden
Summary: Cancer metastasis to the lung is a major challenge in clinical treatment. Research shows that PBMC delivery of oncolytic viruses can effectively treat lung metastatic cancers.
Article
Ecology
Anders Pape Moller, Dorota Czeszczewik, Johannes Erritzoe, Einar Flensted-Jensen, Karsten Laursen, Wei Liang, Wieslaw Walankiewicz
Summary: The abundance and diversity of insects in Europe have significantly decreased in recent decades, potentially influenced by factors such as driving speed, local weather, and geographical location. Differences were found in insect abundance between areas with high ionizing radiation, Western and Eastern Europe, as well as between countries in Europe and China. This study highlights the importance of abiotic and biotic factors in determining spatial and temporal patterns of insect abundance.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Edwin Jun Chen Chew, Puay Hoon Tan
Summary: This review discusses the key milestones in the development of pathology as a branch of medical science, from ancient civilizations to the modern day. It highlights the use of human dissections, autopsies, microscopy, as well as the development of histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular techniques. These methods have improved our understanding of anatomy and disease, and refined the models of pathogenesis over time.
Article
Immunology
Meer T. Alam, Carla Mavian, Taylor K. Paisie, Massimiliano S. Tagliamonte, Melanie N. Cash, Angus Angermeyer, Kimberley D. Seed, Andrew Camilli, Felicien Masanga Maisha, R. Kabangwa Kakongo Senga, Marco Salemi, J. Glenn Morris, Afsar Ali
Summary: Cholera strains from southern Asia were found in cholera patients in the Great Lakes region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A novel bacteriophage was also identified, which played a significant role in cholera evolution and spread.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Shivam K. Purohit, Carolyn Samer, Hamish E. G. McWilliam, Renee Traves, Megan Steain, Brian P. McSharry, Paul R. Kinchington, David C. Tscharke, Jose A. Villadangos, Jamie Rossjohn, Allison Abendroth, Barry Slobedman
Summary: This study demonstrates that varicella zoster virus suppresses the expression of antigen presentation molecule MR1, highlighting the intricate temporal relationship between infection and ligand availability. The study also suggests that VZV likely encodes multiple viral genes targeting MR1.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mary E. Petrone, Edward C. Holmes, Erin Harvey
Summary: To mitigate the emergence of new pathogenic viruses, public health strategies should conduct long-term surveillance of ecosystems experiencing changes in biodiversity using metagenomic techniques to identify generalist viruses.
Article
Ecology
Francesca Dagostin, Chiara Vanalli, Brian Boag, Renato Casagrandi, Marino Gatto, Lorenzo Mari, Isabella M. Cattadori
Summary: The conceptual understanding of immune-mediated interactions between parasites is rooted in the theory of community ecology. This study investigates the immune-mediated mechanisms of parasite regulation in rabbits with dual infections, using an immuno-epidemiological model. The results suggest that weakened immune responses and increased transmission contribute to the higher intensities of both helminths in rabbits with dual infections.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Soufien Sghaier, Corinne Sailleau, Maurilia Marcacci, Sarah Thabet, Valentina Curini, Thameur Ben Hassine, Liana Teodori, Ottavio Portanti, Salah Hammami, Lucija Jurisic, Massimo Spedicato, Lydie Postic, Ines Gazani, Raja Ben Osman, Stephan Zientara, Emmanuel Breard, Paolo Calistri, Jurgen A. Richt, Edward C. Holmes, Giovanni Savini, Francesca Di Giallonardo, Alessio Lorusso
Summary: Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a viral disease transmitted by Culicoides and affects domestic and wild ruminants, particularly white-tailed deer and cattle. Recent outbreaks of EHDV-8 have been reported in cattle farms in central/western Tunisia, spreading rapidly throughout the country with more than 200 confirmed cases. This study emphasizes the need for vaccines targeting various serotypes of EHDV.
Article
Microbiology
Nannan Li, Cixiu Li, Tao Hu, Juan Li, Hong Zhou, Jingkai Ji, Jiangli Wu, Weipeng Kang, Edward C. Holmes, Weifeng Shi, Shufa Xu
Summary: Through meta-transcriptomic sequencing of nearly 2000 samples collected across China, researchers have revealed the diversity and prevalence of honeybee viruses, as well as the existence of novel genetic variants associated with China. The study highlights the widespread distribution and genetic diversity of honeybee viruses, suggesting the importance of understanding and mitigating viral infectious diseases in honeybees.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Meng Lu, Wan -Ting He, John H. -O. Pettersson, Guy Baele, Mang Shi, Edward C. Holmes, Na He, Shuo Su
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katherine Eaton, Ravneet K. Sidhu, Jennifer Klunk, Julia A. Gamble, Jesper L. Boldsen, Ann G. Carmichael, Nukhet Varlik, Sebastian Duchene, Leo Featherstone, Vaughan Grimes, Brian Golding, Sharon N. DeWitte, Edward C. Holmes, Hendrik N. Poinar
Summary: By investigating 13 archaeological sites in Denmark, a study found that the plague appeared and evolved continuously in the region from the 14th to the 17th century, with cross-interactions with other European countries, rather than long-term local persistence. This research provides epidemiological links between the plague and the unknown pestilence in medieval and early modern Europe, and demonstrates how population-scale genomic evidence can be used to test hypotheses on disease mortality and epidemiology, paving the way for the next generation of historical disease research.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mary E. Petrone, Carolina Lucas, Bridget Menasche, Mallery Breban, Inci Yildirim, Melissa Campbell, Saad B. Omer, Edward C. Holmes, Albert Ko, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Akiko Iwasaki, Craig B. Wilen, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Joseph R. Fauver
Summary: Developing a timely and effective response to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is crucial for public health. Global health surveillance relies not only on genomic data but also on methods that utilize genomic data to estimate the epidemiological dynamics of emerging lineages. In this study, the differences in reporting delays among SARS-CoV-2 VOCs were analyzed, indicating that these delays may have delayed the global response to the Mu variant. The nonsystematic biases in the reporting of genomic data could impede the assessment of future emerging variants.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Virology
Robert A. Lopez-Astacio, Oluwafemi F. Adu, Daniel J. Goetschius, Hyunwook Lee, Wendy S. Weichert, Brian R. Wasik, Simon P. Frueh, Brynn K. Alford, Ian E. H. Voorhees, Joseph F. Flint, Sarah Saddoris, Laura B. Goodman, Edward C. Holmes, Susan L. Hafenstein, Colin R. Parrish
Summary: Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a small DNA virus that causes serious diseases in dogs worldwide. In this study, in vitro selection and deep sequencing were used to investigate the escape mutations in CPV induced by two antibodies. The results provide insights into the selection of viral variants and the interactions between antibodies and receptors.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Peiwen Chen, Ziying Jin, Liuxia Peng, Zuoyi Zheng, Yiu-Man Cheung, Jing Guan, Liming Chen, Yiteng Huang, Xiaohui Fan, Zengfeng Zhang, Dongmei Shi, Jin Xie, Rirong Chen, Boheng Xiao, Chun Hung Yip, David K. Smith, Wenshan Hong, Yongmei Liu, Lifeng Li, Jia Wang, Edward C. Holmes, Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Huachen Zhu, Yi Guan
Summary: A novel H3N8 virus with zoonotic potential has emerged in chickens in China through reassortment with avian H3 and N8 viruses and enzootic H9N2 viruses. This H3N8 virus has independent gene lineages but exchanges internal genes with other H9N2 viruses. Experimental studies show that it is transmissible in ferrets, and serological data suggest a lack of immunological protection in humans.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Wan-Ting He, Dongyan Li, Guy Baele, Jin Zhao, Zhiwen Jiang, Xiang Ji, Michael Veit, Marc A. Suchard, Edward C. Holmes, Philippe Lemey, Maciej F. Boni, Shuo Su
Summary: Through retrospective epidemiological study, new lineages of porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) complex coronaviruses (CoVs) were discovered in swine populations in China. These novel lineages cause respiratory symptoms without neurological symptoms typically associated with classical PHEV infection. The novel lineages have been circulating in at least eight provinces in southeastern China.
Article
Virology
Callum Le Lay, Joshua N. Hamm, Timothy J. Williams, Mang Shi, Ricardo Cavicchioli, Edward C. Holmes
Summary: Despite the presence of DNA viruses infecting archaea, no RNA viruses associated with archaea have been identified. In this study, researchers investigated the metatranscriptomes of hypersaline lakes to search for highly divergent RNA viruses. They identified several candidate sequences, but couldn't provide definitive evidence of RNA viruses in archaea.
Article
Virology
Erin Harvey, Jonathon C. O. Mifsud, Edward C. Holmes, Jackie E. Mahar
Summary: This study identified the viral diversity in four Dasyuromorph species using publicly available RNA-seq data. Fifteen new virus sequences were discovered, including five DNA virus families and three RNA virus taxa. Particularly noteworthy was the discovery of a marsupial-specific clade of delta-like viruses and a highly divergent hepacivirus. Understanding the virome of these species is crucial for preventing virus transmission to naive populations, as they are currently being used in translocation efforts.
Article
Virology
Brian R. Wasik, Evin Rothschild, Ian E. H. Voorhees, Stephanie E. Reedy, Pablo R. Murcia, Nicola Pusterla, Thomas M. Chambers, Laura B. Goodman, Edward C. Holmes, James C. Kile, Colin R. Parrish
Summary: This study compares the canine influenza virus (CIV) in dogs and the equine influenza virus (EIV) in horses to reveal their host-specific evolution, determine the sources and connections between outbreaks, and gain insight into the factors controlling their evolutionary fates.
Letter
Virology
Lin Xu, Wei Liu, Mengyu Bie, Tao Hu, Dong Yan, Zhishu Xiao, Edward C. Holmes, Weifeng Shi