scholarly journals Purification and Functional Characterization of a Biologically Active Full-Length Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Pr50Gag

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anjana Krishnan ◽  
Vineeta N. Pillai ◽  
Akhil Chameettachal ◽  
Lizna Mohamed Ali ◽  
Fathima Nuzra Nagoor Pitchai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) full-length Pr50Gag precursor is a key player in the assembly of new viral particles. It is also a critical component of the efficient selection and packaging of two copies of genomic RNA (gRNA) into the newly formed virus particles from a wide pool of cellular and spliced viral RNA. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved during FIV gRNA packaging, we expressed the His6-tagged and untagged recombinant FIV Pr50Gag protein both in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The recombinant Pr50Gag-His6-tag fusion protein was purified from soluble fractions of prokaryotic cultures using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). This purified protein was able to assemble in vitro into virus-like particles (VLPs), indicating that it preserved its ability to oligomerize/multimerize. Furthermore, VLPs formed in eukaryotic cells by the FIV full-length Pr50Gag both in the presence and absence of His6-tag could package FIV sub-genomic RNA to similar levels, suggesting that the biological activity of the recombinant full-length Pr50Gag fusion protein was retained in the presence of His6-tag at the carboxy terminus. Successful expression and purification of a biologically active, recombinant full-length Pr50Gag-His6-tag fusion protein will allow study of the intricate RNA-protein interactions involved during FIV gRNA encapsidation.

scholarly journals Potential of the Other Genetic Information Coded by the Viral RNA Genomes as Antiviral Target

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Berzal-Herranz ◽  
Cristina Romero-López ◽  
Beatriz Berzal-Herranz ◽  
Sara Ramos-Lorente
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Viral Genomes ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Rna Domains

In addition to the protein coding information, viral RNA genomes code functional information in structurally conserved units termed functional RNA domains. These RNA domains play essential roles in the viral cycle (e.g., replication and translation). Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind their function is essential to understanding the viral infective cycle. Further, interfering with the function of the genomic RNA domains offers a potential means of developing antiviral strategies. Aptamers are good candidates for targeting structural RNA domains. Besides its potential as therapeutics, aptamers also provide an excellent tool for investigating the functionality of RNA domains in viral genomes. This review briefly summarizes the work carried out in our laboratory aimed at the structural and functional characterization of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genomic RNA domains. It also describes the efforts we carried out for the development of antiviral aptamers targeting specific genomic domains of the HCV and the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1).

scholarly journals During Readaptation In Vivo, a Tissue Culture-Adapted Strain of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Reverts to Broad Neutralization Resistance at Different Times in Individual Hosts but through Changes at the Same Position of the Surface Glycoprotein

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 4584-4593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Bendinelli ◽  
Mauro Pistello ◽  
Daniela Del Mauro ◽  
Giancarlo Cammarota ◽  
Fabrizio Maggi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Surface Glycoprotein ◽  
Intermediate Phenotype ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

ABSTRACT The broad resistance to antibody-mediated neutralization of lentiviruses recently isolated from infected hosts is a poorly understood feature which might contribute to the ability of these viruses to persist and to the failure of experimental vaccines to protect against virulent viruses. We studied the underlying molecular mechanisms by examining the evolution of a neutralization-sensitive, tissue culture-adapted strain of feline immunodeficiency virus upon reinoculation into specific-pathogen-free cats. Reversion to broad neutralization resistance was observed in seven of seven inoculated animals and, in individual hosts, started to develop between less than 4 and more than 15 months from infection. After comparison of the envelope sequences of the inoculum virus, of an additional 4 neutralization-sensitive in vitro variants, and of 14 ex vivo-derived variants (6 neutralization sensitive, 5 resistant, and 3 with intermediate phenotype), a Lys→Asn or →Glu change at position 481 in the V4 region of the surface glycoprotein appeared as a key player in the reversion. This conclusion was confirmed by mutagenesis of molecularly cloned virus. Analysis of viral quasispecies and biological clones showed that the intermediate phenotype was due to transient coexistence of neutralization-sensitive and -resistant variants. Since the amino acid position involved was the same in four of four recent revertants, it is suggested that the number of residues that control reversion to broad neutralization resistance in FIV might be very limited. Amino acid 481 was found to be changed only in one of three putative long-term revertants. These variants shared a Ser→Asn change at position 557 in region V5, which probably collaborated with other mutations in long-term maintenance of neutralization resistance, as suggested by the study of mutagenized virus.

scholarly journals Biochemical and Functional Characterization of Anthocyanidin Reductase (ANR) from Mangifera indica L.

Molecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 2876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Tan ◽  
Mei Wang ◽  
Youfa Kang ◽  
Farrukh Azeem ◽  
Zhaoxi Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Assay ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Mangifera Indica ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Citrate Buffer ◽  
Anthocyanidin Reductase ◽  
High Amino Acid ◽  
Optimum Ph

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is abundant in proanthocyanidins (PAs) that are important for human health and plant response to abiotic stresses. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in PA biosynthesis still need to be elucidated. Anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) catalyzes a key step in PA biosynthesis. In this study, three ANR cDNAs (MiANR1-1,1-2,1-3) were isolated from mango, and expressed in Escherichia coli. In vitro enzyme assay showed MiANR proteins convert cyanidin to their corresponding flavan-3-ols, such as (−)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin. Despite high amino acid similarity, the recombinant ANR proteins exhibited differences in enzyme kinetics and cosubstrate preference. MiANR1-2 and MiANR1-3 have the same optimum pH of 4.0 in citrate buffer, while the optimum pH for MiANR1-1 is pH 3.0 in phosphate buffer. MiANR1-1 does not use either NADPH or NADH as co-substrate while MiANR1-2/1-3 use only NADPH as co-substrate. MiANR1-2 has the highest Km and Vmax for cyanidin, followed by MiANR1-3 and MiANR1-1. The overexpression of MiANRs in ban mutant reconstructed the biosynthetic pathway of PAs in the seed coat. These data demonstrate MiANRs can form the ANR pathway, leading to the formation of two types of isomeric flavan-3-ols and PAs in mango.

scholarly journals Allosteric activation of preformed EGF receptor dimers by binding of a single ligand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Endang Purba ◽  
Ei-ichiro Saita ◽  
Reetesh Akhouri ◽  
Lars-Göran Öfverstedt ◽  
Gunnar Wilken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Egf Receptor ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Cancer Therapies ◽  
Receptor Dimer

Abstract Aberrant activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by mutations has been implicated in a variety of human cancers. Elucidation of the structure of the full-length receptor is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying its activation. Unlike previously anticipated, here, we report that purified full-length EGFR adopts a homodimeric form in vitro before and after activation. Cryo-electron tomography analysis of the purified receptor also showed that the extracellular domains of the receptor dimer, which are conformationally flexible before activation, are stabilised by ligand binding. Consistently, optical single-molecule observation also demonstrated that binding of only one ligand activates the receptor dimer on the cell surface. Based on these results, we propose an allosteric model for the activation of EGFR dimers by ligand binding. Our results demonstrate how oncogenic mutations spontaneously activate the receptor and shed light on the development of novel cancer therapies.

scholarly journals Feline Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Cat Sera Associated with the Development of Broad Neutralization Resistance In Vivo Drive Similar Reversions In Vitro

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (18) ◽  
pp. 8868-8873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Giannecchini ◽  
Donatella Matteucci ◽  
Aldo Ferrari ◽  
Mauro Pistello ◽  
Mauro Bendinelli
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Surface Glycoprotein ◽  
Virus Variant ◽  
Humoral Immune ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Escape Mutants ◽  
Intervening Factors

ABSTRACT We previously reported that, upon reinoculation into cats, a neutralization-sensitive, tissue culture-adapted strain of feline immunodeficiency virus constantly reverted to the broad neutralization resistance typical of primary virus isolates and identified residue 481 in the V4 region of the surface glycoprotein as a key determinant of the reversion. Here, we found that well-characterized immune sera, obtained from cats in which such reversion had occurred, selected in tissue culture in favor of virus variants that also had a neutralization-resistant phenotype and had amino acid 481 changed, thus indicating that the host's humoral immune response is capable of driving the reversion in the absence of other intervening factors. In contrast, a second group of immune sera, elicited by a virus variant that had already reverted to neutralization resistance in independent cats, induced the emergence of escape mutants lacking broad neutralization resistance and neutralized fewer virus variants. It is proposed that the viral variants used to produce the two sets of sera may have generated different antibody repertoires.

scholarly journals Stable Expression of Lentiviral Antigens by Quality-Controlled Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vectors

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 726-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan E. Hart ◽  
Rose Asrican ◽  
So-Yon Lim ◽  
Jaimie D. Sixsmith ◽  
Regy Lukose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Antigen Expression ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Vaccine Stability ◽  
Hiv Gp120 ◽  
Recombinant Bcg

ABSTRACTThe well-established safety profile of the tuberculosis vaccine strain,Mycobacterium bovisbacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), makes it an attractive vehicle for heterologous expression of antigens from clinically relevant pathogens. However, successful generation of recombinant BCG strains possessing consistent insert expression has encountered challenges in stability. Here, we describe a method for the development of large recombinant BCG accession lots which stably express the lentiviral antigens, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag, using selectable leucine auxotrophic complementation. Successful establishment of vaccine stability stems from stringent quality control criteria which not only screen for highly stable complemented BCG ΔleuCDtransformants but also thoroughly characterize postproduction quality. These parameters include consistent production of correctly sized antigen, retention of sequence-pure plasmid DNA, freeze-thaw recovery, enumeration of CFU, and assessment of cellular aggregates. Importantly, these quality assurance procedures were indicative of overall vaccine stability, were predictive for successful antigen expression in subsequent passaging bothin vitroandin vivo, and correlated with induction of immune responses in murine models. This study has yielded a quality-controlled BCG ΔleuCDvaccine expressing HIV gp120 that retained stable full-length expression after 1024-fold amplificationin vitroand following 60 days of growth in mice. A second vaccine lot expressed full-length SIV Gag for >1068-fold amplificationin vitroand induced potent antigen-specific T cell populations in vaccinated mice. Production of large, well-defined recombinant BCG ΔleuCDlots can allow confidence that vaccine materials for immunogenicity and protection studies are not negatively affected by instability or differences between freshly grown production batches.

scholarly journals In Vitro Activation of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in Ramified Microglial Cells from Asymptomatically Infected Cats

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (17) ◽  
pp. 8090-8095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Hein ◽  
Jean-Pierre Martin ◽  
Rüdiger Dörries
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Central Nervous System Infection ◽  
Microglial Cells ◽  
Cell Contact ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

ABSTRACT Intravenous infection of cats with feline immunodeficiency virus was used as a model system to study activation of virus replication in brain-resident microglial cells in vitro. Virus release by ramified microglial cells isolated from subclinically infected animals was detectable in cell-free tissue culture supernatant only by reverse transcription and nested PCR of gag-specific RNA sequences and not by virion-associated reverse transcriptase activity. In contrast, cocultivation of in vivo-infected microglial cells with mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) regularly allows detection of high virus yields in cell-free tissue culture fluid. Besides uptake and multiplication of microglia-derived virus in PBMC, release of virus from microglia is stimulated by cell contact with PBMC. The data suggest that T lymphocytes patrolling the central nervous system could reactivate the semilatent state of lentiviruses in microglial cells in the course of clinically silent central nervous system infection.

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