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Nature Communications Apr 2022HIV-1 post-treatment controllers are rare individuals controlling HIV-1 infection for years after antiretroviral therapy interruption. Identification of immune...
HIV-1 post-treatment controllers are rare individuals controlling HIV-1 infection for years after antiretroviral therapy interruption. Identification of immune correlates of control in post-treatment controllers could aid in designing effective HIV-1 vaccine and remission strategies. Here, we perform comprehensive immunoprofiling of the humoral response to HIV-1 in long-term post-treatment controllers. Global multivariate analyses combining clinico-virological and humoral immune data reveal distinct profiles in post-treatment controllers experiencing transient viremic episodes off therapy compared to those stably aviremic. Virally-exposed post-treatment controllers display stronger HIV-1 humoral responses, and develop more frequently Env-specific memory B cells and cross-neutralizing antibodies. Both are linked to short viremic exposures, which are also accompanied by an increase in blood atypical memory B cells and activated subsets of circulating follicular helper T cells. Still, most humoral immune variables only correlate with Th2-like circulating follicular helper T cells. Thus, post-treatment controllers form a heterogeneous group with two distinct viral behaviours and associated immune signatures. Post-treatment controllers stably aviremic present "silent" humoral profiles, while those virally-exposed develop functionally robust HIV-specific B-cell and antibody responses, which may participate in controlling infection.
Topics: Antibodies, Neutralizing; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Immunity, Humoral; Viremia
PubMed: 35410989
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29511-1 -
Biosensors & Bioelectronics Oct 2020Our recent experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of easy-to-use, quick, cheap, sensitive and selective detection of virus pathogens for the... (Review)
Review
Our recent experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of easy-to-use, quick, cheap, sensitive and selective detection of virus pathogens for the efficient monitoring and treatment of virus diseases. Early detection of viruses provides essential information about possible efficient and targeted treatments, prolongs the therapeutic window and hence reduces morbidity. Graphene is a lightweight, chemically stable and conductive material that can be successfully utilized for the detection of various virus strains. The sensitivity and selectivity of graphene can be enhanced by its functionalization or combination with other materials. Introducing suitable functional groups and/or counterparts in the hybrid structure enables tuning of the optical and electrical properties, which is particularly attractive for rapid and easy-to-use virus detection. In this review, we cover all the different types of graphene-based sensors available for virus detection, including, e.g., photoluminescence and colorimetric sensors, and surface plasmon resonance biosensors. Various strategies of electrochemical detection of viruses based on, e.g., DNA hybridization or antigen-antibody interactions, are also discussed. We summarize the current state-of-the-art applications of graphene-based systems for sensing a variety of viruses, e.g., SARS-CoV-2, influenza, dengue fever, hepatitis C virus, HIV, rotavirus and Zika virus. General principles, mechanisms of action, advantages and drawbacks are presented to provide useful information for the further development and construction of advanced virus biosensors. We highlight that the unique and tunable physicochemical properties of graphene-based nanomaterials make them ideal candidates for engineering and miniaturization of biosensors.
Topics: Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Betacoronavirus; Biosensing Techniques; COVID-19; COVID-19 Testing; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Colorimetry; Coronavirus Infections; DNA, Viral; Electrochemical Techniques; Equipment Design; Graphite; Humans; Luminescence; Nanostructures; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Quantum Dots; SARS-CoV-2; Spectrum Analysis, Raman; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Virology; Viruses
PubMed: 32750677
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112436 -
Viruses Dec 2020The International Virus Bioinformatics Meeting 2020 was originally planned to take place in Bern, Switzerland, in March 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put a spoke...
The International Virus Bioinformatics Meeting 2020 was originally planned to take place in Bern, Switzerland, in March 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put a spoke in the wheel of almost all conferences to be held in 2020. After moving the conference to 8-9 October 2020, we got hit by the second wave and finally decided at short notice to go fully online. On the other hand, the pandemic has made us even more aware of the importance of accelerating research in viral bioinformatics. Advances in bioinformatics have led to improved approaches to investigate viral infections and outbreaks. The International Virus Bioinformatics Meeting 2020 has attracted approximately 120 experts in virology and bioinformatics from all over the world to join the two-day virtual meeting. Despite concerns being raised that virtual meetings lack possibilities for face-to-face discussion, the participants from this small community created a highly interactive scientific environment, engaging in lively and inspiring discussions and suggesting new research directions and questions. The meeting featured five invited and twelve contributed talks, on the four main topics: (1) proteome and RNAome of RNA viruses, (2) viral metagenomics and ecology, (3) virus evolution and classification and (4) viral infections and immunology. Further, the meeting featured 20 oral poster presentations, all of which focused on specific areas of virus bioinformatics. This report summarizes the main research findings and highlights presented at the meeting.
Topics: COVID-19; Computational Biology; Congresses as Topic; Evolution, Molecular; Genome, Viral; Humans; Metagenomics; RNA Viruses; Virology
PubMed: 33291220
DOI: 10.3390/v12121398 -
Trends in Biotechnology Dec 2020Microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool for probing biology at the single-cell level. However, it is only in the past 5 years that single-cell microfluidics has... (Review)
Review
Microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool for probing biology at the single-cell level. However, it is only in the past 5 years that single-cell microfluidics has been used in the field of virology. An array of strategies based on microwells, microvalves, and droplets is now available for tracking viral infection dynamics, identifying cell subpopulations with particular phenotypes, as well as high-throughput screening. The insights into the virus-host interactions gained at the single-cell level are unprecedented and usually inaccessible by population-based experiments. Therefore, single-cell microfluidics, which opens new avenues for mechanism elucidation and development of antiviral therapeutics, would be a valuable tool for the study of viral pathogenesis.
Topics: High-Throughput Screening Assays; Microfluidics; Single-Cell Analysis; Virology
PubMed: 32430227
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.04.010 -
Nature May 2023CrAssphage and related viruses of the order Crassvirales (hereafter referred to as crassviruses) were originally discovered by cross-assembly of metagenomic sequences....
CrAssphage and related viruses of the order Crassvirales (hereafter referred to as crassviruses) were originally discovered by cross-assembly of metagenomic sequences. They are the most abundant viruses in the human gut, are found in the majority of individual gut viromes, and account for up to 95% of the viral sequences in some individuals. Crassviruses are likely to have major roles in shaping the composition and functionality of the human microbiome, but the structures and roles of most of the virally encoded proteins are unknown, with only generic predictions resulting from bioinformatic analyses. Here we present a cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of Bacteroides intestinalis virus ΦcrAss001, providing the structural basis for the functional assignment of most of its virion proteins. The muzzle protein forms an assembly about 1 MDa in size at the end of the tail and exhibits a previously unknown fold that we designate the 'crass fold', that is likely to serve as a gatekeeper that controls the ejection of cargos. In addition to packing the approximately 103 kb of virus DNA, the ΦcrAss001 virion has extensive storage space for virally encoded cargo proteins in the capsid and, unusually, within the tail. One of the cargo proteins is present in both the capsid and the tail, suggesting a general mechanism for protein ejection, which involves partial unfolding of proteins during their extrusion through the tail. These findings provide a structural basis for understanding the mechanisms of assembly and infection of these highly abundant crassviruses.
Topics: Humans; Capsid; Cryoelectron Microscopy; DNA Viruses; Virion; Virus Assembly; Intestines; Viral Proteins; Protein Unfolding; Protein Folding
PubMed: 37138077
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06019-2 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) May 2020
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Germany; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; Virology
PubMed: 32355014
DOI: 10.1126/science.368.6490.462 -
Cellular Microbiology Aug 2019
Topics: Animals; Argentina; France; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Insecta; Molecular Biology; Virology
PubMed: 31112322
DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13061 -
BMC Microbiology Jun 2021Phages are one of the key components in the structure, dynamics, and interactions of microbial communities in different bins. It has a clear impact on human health and... (Review)
Review
Phages are one of the key components in the structure, dynamics, and interactions of microbial communities in different bins. It has a clear impact on human health and the food industry. Bacteriophage characterization using in vitro approaches are time/cost consuming and laborious tasks. On the other hand, with the advent of new high-throughput sequencing technology, the development of a powerful computational framework to characterize the newly identified bacteriophages is inevitable for future research. Machine learning includes powerful techniques that enable the analysis of complex datasets for knowledge discovery and pattern recognition. In this study, we have conducted a comprehensive review of machine learning methods application using different types of features were applied in various aspects of bacteriophage research including, automated curation, identification, classification, host species recognition, virion protein identification, and life cycle prediction. Moreover, potential limitations and advantages of the developed frameworks were discussed.
Topics: Bacteriophages; Machine Learning; Virology
PubMed: 34174831
DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02256-5 -
Chemical Reviews Feb 2020Uncovering the mechanisms of virus infection and assembly is crucial for preventing the spread of viruses and treating viral disease. The technique of single-virus... (Review)
Review
Uncovering the mechanisms of virus infection and assembly is crucial for preventing the spread of viruses and treating viral disease. The technique of single-virus tracking (SVT), also known as single-virus tracing, allows one to follow individual viruses at different parts of their life cycle and thereby provides dynamic insights into fundamental processes of viruses occurring in live cells. SVT is typically based on fluorescence imaging and reveals insights into previously unreported infection mechanisms. In this review article, we provide the readers a broad overview of the SVT technique. We first summarize recent advances in SVT, from the choice of fluorescent labels and labeling strategies to imaging implementation and analytical methodologies. We then describe representative applications in detail to elucidate how SVT serves as a valuable tool in virological research. Finally, we present our perspectives regarding the future possibilities and challenges of SVT.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Virology; Virus Diseases; Virus Physiological Phenomena
PubMed: 31951121
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00692 -
Current Microbiology Jul 2023The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants have posed a significant threat to humankind in tackling the viral spread. Furthermore, currently repurposed drugs and... (Review)
Review
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants have posed a significant threat to humankind in tackling the viral spread. Furthermore, currently repurposed drugs and frontline antiviral agents have failed to cure severe ongoing infections effectively. This insufficiency has fuelled research for potent and safe therapeutic agents to treat COVID-19. Nonetheless, various vaccine candidates have displayed a differential efficacy and need for repetitive dosing. The FDA-approved polyether ionophore veterinary antibiotic for treating coccidiosis has been repurposed for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection (as shown by both in vitro and in vivo studies) and other deadly human viruses. Based on selectivity index values, ionophores display therapeutic effects at sub-nanomolar concentrations and exhibit selective killing ability. They act on different viral targets (structural and non-structural proteins), host-cell components leading to SARS-CoV-2 inhibition, and their activity is further enhanced by Zn supplementation. This review summarizes the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential and molecular viral targets of selective ionophores like monensin, salinomycin, maduramicin, CP-80,219, nanchangmycin, narasin, X-206 and valinomycin. Ionophore combinations with Zn are a new therapeutic strategy that warrants further investigation for possible human benefits.
Topics: Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Ionophores; COVID-19; Drug Repositioning; Monensin; Antiviral Agents
PubMed: 37414909
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03366-1