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Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2023Parasitoid wasp populations have developed persistent beneficial symbiotic relationships with several viruses through repeated evolution. However, there have been...
Parasitoid wasp populations have developed persistent beneficial symbiotic relationships with several viruses through repeated evolution. However, there have been limited reports on RNA viruses in parasitoid wasps of tephritid flies, a significant pest group affecting fruits and vegetables. This study explores the diversity of RNA viruses in three parasitoid wasps of tephritid flies and highlights the potential biological significance of specific viruses in . These findings have important implications for the development of sustainable pest management strategies and the enhancement of artificial rearing techniques for parasitoid wasps.
Topics: Animals; Wasps; Diptera; Viruses; RNA Viruses
PubMed: 37930041
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03139-23 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE Jan 2019Double-stranded (ds) RNA is produced as a replicative intermediate during RNA virus infection. Recognition of dsRNA by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as...
Double-stranded (ds) RNA is produced as a replicative intermediate during RNA virus infection. Recognition of dsRNA by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as the retinoic acid (RIG-I) like receptors (RLRs) RIG-I and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA-5) leads to the induction of the innate immune response. The formation and intracellular distribution of dsRNA in positive-sense RNA virus infection has been well characterized by microscopy. Many negative-sense RNA viruses, including some arenaviruses, trigger the innate immune response during infection. However, negative-sense RNA viruses were thought to produce low levels of dsRNA, which hinders the imaging study of PRR recognition of viral dsRNA. Additionally, infection experiments with highly pathogenic arenaviruses must be performed in high containment biosafety level facilities (BSL-4). The interaction between viral RNA and PRRs for highly pathogenic RNA virus is largely unknown due to the additional technical challenges that researchers need to face in the BSL-4 facilities. Recently, a monoclonal antibody (Mab) (clone 9D5) originally used for pan-enterovirus detection has been found to specifically detect dsRNA with a higher sensitivity than the traditional J2 or K1 anti-dsRNA antibodies. Herein, by utilizing the 9D5 antibody, we describe a confocal microscopy protocol that has been used successfully to visualize dsRNA, viral protein and PRR simultaneously in individual cells infected by arenavirus. The protocol is also suitable for imaging studies of dsRNA and PRR distribution in pathogenic arenavirus infected cells in BSL4 facilities.
Topics: Humans; Immunity, Innate; Microscopy, Confocal; RNA Virus Infections; RNA Viruses; RNA, Double-Stranded; RNA, Viral; Receptors, Pattern Recognition; Viral Proteins
PubMed: 30741258
DOI: 10.3791/59095 -
Viruses Jun 2015Due to high mutation rates, populations of RNA viruses exist as a collection of closely related mutants known as a quasispecies. A consequence of error-prone replication... (Review)
Review
Due to high mutation rates, populations of RNA viruses exist as a collection of closely related mutants known as a quasispecies. A consequence of error-prone replication is the potential for rapid adaptation of RNA viruses when a selective pressure is applied, including host immune systems and antiviral drugs. RNA interference (RNAi) acts to inhibit protein synthesis by targeting specific mRNAs for degradation and this process has been developed to target RNA viruses, exhibiting their potential as a therapeutic against infections. However, viruses containing mutations conferring resistance to RNAi were isolated in nearly all cases, underlining the problems of rapid viral evolution. Thus, while promising, the use of RNAi in treating or preventing viral diseases remains fraught with the typical complications that result from high specificity of the target, as seen in other antiviral regimens.
Topics: Adaptation, Biological; Animals; Drug Resistance, Viral; Evolution, Molecular; Genetic Variation; Humans; Immune Evasion; Mutation; RNA Interference; RNA Viruses; Virus Replication
PubMed: 26102581
DOI: 10.3390/v7062768 -
Microbes and Environments 2020Invertebrates are a source of previously unknown RNA viruses that fill gaps in the viral phylogenetic tree. Although limited information is currently available on RNA...
Invertebrates are a source of previously unknown RNA viruses that fill gaps in the viral phylogenetic tree. Although limited information is currently available on RNA viral diversity in the marine sponge, a primordial multicellular animal that belongs to the phylum Porifera, the marine sponge is one of the well-studied holobiont systems. In the present study, we elucidated the putative complete genome sequences of five novel RNA viruses from Hymeniacidon sponge using a combination of double-stranded RNA sequencing, called fragmented and primer ligated dsRNA sequencing, and a conventional transcriptome method targeting single-stranded RNA. We identified highly diverged RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequences, including a potential novel RNA viral lineage, in the sponge and three viruses presumed to infect sponge cells.
Topics: Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Genome, Viral; Phylogeny; Porifera; RNA Viruses; RNA, Double-Stranded; RNA, Viral; RNA-Seq; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 32115438
DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.ME19132 -
Virus Research May 2022The risk for the emergence of novel viral zoonotic diseases in animals and humans in Uganda is high given its geographical location with high biodiversity. We aimed to...
The risk for the emergence of novel viral zoonotic diseases in animals and humans in Uganda is high given its geographical location with high biodiversity. We aimed to identify and characterize viruses in 175 blood samples from cattle selected in Uganda using molecular approaches. We identified 8 viral species belonging to 4 families (Flaviviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Reoviridae and Rhabdoviridae) and 6 genera (Hepacivirus, Pestivirus, Orthobunyavirus, Coltivirus, Dinovernavirus and Ephemerovirus). Four viruses were highly divergent and tetantively named Zikole virus (Family: Flaviviridae), Zeboroti virus (Family: Reoviridae), Zebtine virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae) and Kokolu virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae). In addition, Bovine Hepacivirus, Obodhiang virus, Aedes pseudoscutellaris reovirus and Schmallenberg virus were identified for the first time in Ugandan cattle. We report 8 viral species belonging to 4 viral families including divergent ones in the blood of cattle in Uganda. Hence, cattle may be reservoir hosts for likely emergence of novel viruses with pathogenic potential to cause zoonotic diseases in different species with serious public health implications.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Coltivirus; Flaviviridae; Humans; Phylogeny; RNA Viruses; Reoviridae; Uganda
PubMed: 35271887
DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198739 -
Viruses Jan 2022Several strategies have been developed to fight viral infections, not only in humans but also in animals and plants. Some of them are based on the development of... (Review)
Review
Several strategies have been developed to fight viral infections, not only in humans but also in animals and plants. Some of them are based on the development of efficient vaccines, to target the virus by developed antibodies, others focus on finding antiviral compounds with activities that inhibit selected virus replication steps. Currently, there is an increasing number of antiviral drugs on the market; however, some have unpleasant side effects, are toxic to cells, or the viruses quickly develop resistance to them. As the current situation shows, the combination of multiple antiviral strategies or the combination of the use of various compounds within one strategy is very important. The most desirable are combinations of drugs that inhibit different steps in the virus life cycle. This is an important issue especially for RNA viruses, which replicate their genomes using error-prone RNA polymerases and rapidly develop mutants resistant to applied antiviral compounds. Here, we focus on compounds targeting viral structural capsid proteins, thereby inhibiting virus assembly or disassembly, virus binding to cellular receptors, or acting by inhibiting other virus replication mechanisms. This review is an update of existing papers on a similar topic, by focusing on the most recent advances in the rapidly evolving research of compounds targeting capsid proteins of RNA viruses.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; Capsid Proteins; Humans; RNA Virus Infections; RNA Viruses; Virus Assembly; Virus Replication
PubMed: 35215767
DOI: 10.3390/v14020174 -
PLoS Pathogens Jul 2015
Review
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Immune Evasion; RNA Virus Infections; RNA Viruses; Reassortant Viruses
PubMed: 26158697
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004902 -
Virus Genes Apr 2023Despite being one of the most destructive invasive species of ants, only two natural enemies are known currently for Wasmannia auropunctata, commonly known as the...
Despite being one of the most destructive invasive species of ants, only two natural enemies are known currently for Wasmannia auropunctata, commonly known as the electric ant or little fire ant. Because viruses can be effective biological control agents against many insect pests, including ants, a metagenomics/next-generation sequencing approach was used to facilitate discovery of virus sequences from the transcriptomes of W. auropunctata. Five new and complete positive sense, single-stranded RNA virus genomes, and one new negative sense, single-stranded RNA virus genome were identified, sequenced, and characterized from W. auropunctata collected in Argentina by this approach, including a dicistrovirus (Electric ant dicistrovirus), two polycipiviruses (Electric ant polycipivirus 1; Electric ant polycipivirus 2), a solinvivirus (Electric ant solinvivirus), a divergent genome with similarity to an unclassified group in the Picornavirales (Electric ant virus 1), and a rhabdovirus (Electric ant rhabdovirus). An additional virus genome was detected that is likely Solenopsis invicta virus 10 (MH727527). The virus genome sequences were absent from the transcriptomes of W. auropunctata collected in the USA (Hawaii and Florida). Additional limited field surveys corroborated the absence of these viruses in regions where the electric ant is invasive (the USA and Australia). The replicative genome strand of four of the viruses (Electric ant polycipivirus 2, Electric ant solinvivirus, Electric ant virus 1, and Solenopsis invicta virus 10 (in the electric ant) was detected in Argentinean-collected W. auropunctata indicating that the ant is a host for these viruses. These are the first virus discoveries to be made from W. auropunctata.
Topics: Animals; Ants; RNA Viruses; Genome, Viral; Metagenomics; RNA
PubMed: 36729322
DOI: 10.1007/s11262-023-01969-1 -
Molecular Biology and Evolution Apr 2023RNA viruses are abundant and highly diverse and infect all or most eukaryotic organisms. However, only a tiny fraction of the number and diversity of RNA virus species...
RNA viruses are abundant and highly diverse and infect all or most eukaryotic organisms. However, only a tiny fraction of the number and diversity of RNA virus species have been catalogued. To cost-effectively expand the diversity of known RNA virus sequences, we mined publicly available transcriptomic data sets. We developed 77 family-level Hidden Markov Model profiles for the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)-the only universal "hallmark" gene of RNA viruses. By using these to search the National Center for Biotechnology Information Transcriptome Shotgun Assembly database, we identified 5,867 contigs encoding RNA virus RdRps or fragments thereof and analyzed their diversity, taxonomic classification, phylogeny, and host associations. Our study expands the known diversity of RNA viruses, and the 77 curated RdRp Profile Hidden Markov Models provide a useful resource for the virus discovery community.
Topics: Transcriptome; RNA Viruses; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; Phylogeny; RNA, Viral; Genome, Viral
PubMed: 37014783
DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad060 -
Fish & Shellfish Immunology Apr 2019Viral diseases represent one of the major threats for salmonid aquaculture. Survival from viral infections are highly dependent on host innate antiviral immune defense,... (Review)
Review
Viral diseases represent one of the major threats for salmonid aquaculture. Survival from viral infections are highly dependent on host innate antiviral immune defense, where interferons are of crucial importance. Neutralizing antibodies and T cell effector mechanisms mediate long-term antiviral protection. Despite an immune cell repertoire comparable to higher vertebrates, farmed fish often fail to mount optimal antiviral protection. In the quest to multiply and spread, viruses utilize a variety of strategies to evade or escape the host immune system. Understanding the specific interplay between viruses and host immunity at depth is crucial for developing successful vaccination and treatment strategies in mammals. However, this knowledge base is still limited for pathogenic fish viruses. Here, we have focused on five RNA viruses with major impact on salmonid aquaculture: Salmonid alphavirus, Infectious salmon anemia virus, Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, Piscine orthoreovirus and Piscine myocarditis virus. This review explore the protective immune responses that salmonids mount to these viruses and the existing knowledge on how the viruses counteract and/or bypass the immune response, including their IFN antagonizing effects and their mechanisms to establish persisting infections.
Topics: Animals; Aquaculture; Fish Diseases; Immunity, Innate; RNA Virus Infections; RNA Viruses; Salmonidae
PubMed: 30708056
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.01.043