scholarly journals A Productive Expression Platform Derived from Host-Restricted Eilat Virus: Its Extensive Validation and Novel Strategy

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 660
Author(s):  
Lu Tan ◽  
Yiwen Zhang ◽  
Xingxing Wang ◽  
Dal Young Kim
Keyword(s):  
Expression Vectors ◽  
Structural Genes ◽  
Host Restriction ◽  
Expression Platform ◽  
Mosquito Cells ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Restriction Property ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Novel Strategy

Most alphaviruses are transmitted by mosquitoes and infect a wide range of insects and vertebrates. However, Eilat virus (EILV) is defective for infecting vertebrate cells at multiple levels of the viral life cycle. This host-restriction property renders EILV an attractive expression platform since it is not infectious for vertebrates and therefore provides a highly advantageous safety profile. Here, we investigated the feasibility of versatile EILV-based expression vectors. By replacing the structural genes of EILV with those of other alphaviruses, we generated seven different chimeras. These chimeras were readily rescued in the original mosquito cells and were able to reach high titers, suggesting that EILV is capable of packaging the structural proteins of different lineages. We also explored the ability of EILV to express authentic antigens via double subgenomic (SG) RNA vectors. Four foreign genetic materials of varied length were introduced into the EILV genome, and the expressed heterologous genetic materials were readily detected in the infected cells. By inserting an additional SG promoter into the chimera genome containing the structural genes of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), we developed a bivalent vaccine candidate against CHIKV and Zika virus. These data demonstrate the outstanding compatibility of the EILV genome. The produced recombinants can be applied to vaccine and diagnostic tool development, but more investigations are required.

scholarly journals New Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG Expression Vectors: Improving Genetic Control over Mycobacterial Promoters

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (8) ◽  
pp. 2240-2246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex I. Kanno ◽  
Cibelly Goulart ◽  
Henrique K. Rofatto ◽  
Sergio C. Oliveira ◽  
Luciana C. C. Leite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Expression Vectors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mycobacteriophage L5 ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Selection Of

ABSTRACTThe expression of many antigens, stimulatory molecules, or even metabolic pathways in mycobacteria such asMycobacterium bovisBCG orM. smegmatiswas made possible through the development of shuttle vectors, and several recombinant vaccines have been constructed. However, gene expression in any of these systems relied mostly on the selection of natural promoters expected to provide the required level of expression by trial and error. To establish a systematic selection of promoters with a range of strengths, we generated a library of mutagenized promoters through error-prone PCR of the strong PL5promoter, originally from mycobacteriophage L5. These promoters were cloned upstream of the enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene, and recombinantM. smegmatisbacteria exhibiting a wide range of fluorescence levels were identified. A set of promoters was selected and identified as having high (pJK-F8), intermediate (pJK-B7, pJK-E6, pJK-D6), or low (pJK-C1) promoter strengths in bothM. smegmatisandM. bovisBCG. The sequencing of the promoter region demonstrated that it was extensively modified (6 to 11%) in all of the plasmids selected. To test the functionality of the system, two different expression vectors were demonstrated to allow corresponding expression levels of theSchistosoma mansoniantigen Sm29 in BCG. The approach used here can be used to adjust expression levels for synthetic and/or systems biology studies or for vaccine development to maximize the immune response.

scholarly journals A Model for Analysing the Collective Dynamic Behaviour and Characterising the Exploitation of Population-Based Algorithms

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikdam Turkey ◽  
Riccardo Poli
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Dynamic Behaviour ◽  
Fitness Landscape ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Levels Of Abstraction ◽  
Collective Dynamic ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Multiple Levels

Several previous studies have focused on modelling and analysing the collective dynamic behaviour of population-based algorithms. However, an empirical approach for identifying and characterising such a behaviour is surprisingly lacking. In this paper, we present a new model to capture this collective behaviour, and to extract and quantify features associated with it. The proposed model studies the topological distribution of an algorithm's activity from both a genotypic and a phenotypic perspective, and represents population dynamics using multiple levels of abstraction. The model can have different instantiations. Here it has been implemented using a modified version of self-organising maps. These are used to represent and track the population motion in the fitness landscape as the algorithm operates on solving a problem. Based on this model, we developed a set of features that characterise the population's collective dynamic behaviour. By analysing them and revealing their dependency on fitness distributions, we were then able to define an indicator of the exploitation behaviour of an algorithm. This is an entropy-based measure that assesses the dependency on fitness distributions of different features of population dynamics. To test the proposed measures, evolutionary algorithms with different crossover operators, selection pressure levels and population handling techniques have been examined, which lead populations to exhibit a wide range of exploitation-exploration behaviours.

Amphotericin b effect on the sensitivity to influenza infection of WI-38 VA-13 cells with IFITM3 gene knockout

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-112
Author(s):  
Kira S. Koryabina ◽  
Mariya V. Sergeeva ◽  
Andrey B. Komissarov ◽  
Nataliya V. Eshchenko ◽  
Grigoriy A. Stepanov
Keyword(s):  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Influenza A Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Influenza Infection ◽  
Restriction Factors ◽  
Host Restriction ◽  
Host Restriction Factors ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
The Difference

BACKGROUND: The application of CRISPR/Cas9 is one of the most rapidly developing areas in biotechnology. This method was used to obtain clones of а human origin cell line with knockout of one or more genes of the IFITM family, representing host restriction factors for influenza infection. Amphotericin B has previously been shown to promote influenza infection by blocking IFITM3 function. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of amphotericin B on the sensitivity of IFITM knockout cells to influenza A virus infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: WI-38 VA-13 cells and mutant clones with IFITM3 knockout (F3 clone) or IFITM1, IFITM3 knockout (clone E12) were infected with influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) in the presence or absence of amphotericin B. Forty-four hours after infection, the culture medium was taken to determine the infectious activity of the virus by titration in the MDCK cell culture, as well as the hemagglutinating activity of the virus. The infected cells were stained with fluorescently labeled antibodies against the viral NP protein, and the number of NP-positive cells was determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The addition of amphotericin B increased the hemagglutinating and infectious activity of the virus in WI-38 VA-13cells, while the difference was insignificant for clones with IFITM gene knockout. A similar dependency was obtained for the percent of infected cells. CONCLUSIONS: Mutant cells with a knockout of one or several genes of the IFITM family were equally susceptible to influenza infection regardless of the addition of amphotericin B, which confirms the crucial importance of a defect in the IFITM3 protein in increasing the permissiveness of cells to influenza A virus.

scholarly journals Cellular Zinc Finger Protein 622 Hinders Human Adenovirus Lytic Growth and Limits Binding of the Viral pVII Protein to Virus DNA

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwangchol Mun ◽  
Tanel Punga
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Zinc Finger Protein ◽  
Human Adenovirus ◽  
Antiviral Protein ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
Finger Protein ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Cellular Zinc

ABSTRACTHuman adenovirus (HAdV) encodes a multifunctional DNA-binding protein pVII, which is involved in virus DNA packaging and extracellular immune signaling regulation. Although the pVII is an essential viral protein, its exact role in the virus life cycle and interplay with cellular proteins have remained to a large extent unclear. We have recently identified the cellular zinc finger protein 622 (ZNF622) as a potential pVII-interacting protein. In this study, we describe the functional consequences of the ZNF622-pVII interplay and the role of ZNF622 in the HAdV life cycle. ZNF622 protein expression increased, and it accumulated similarly to the pVII protein in the nuclei of virus-infected cells. The lack of the ZNF622 protein specifically increased pVII binding to viral DNA in the infected cells and elevated the pVII protein levels in the purified virions. In addition, ZNF622 knockout cells showed an increased cell lysis and enhanced accumulation of the infectious virus particles. Protein interaction studies revealed that ZNF622 forms a trimeric complex with the pVII protein and the cellular histone chaperon protein nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1). The integrity of this complex is important since ZNF622 mutations and NPM1 deficiency changed pVII ability to bind viral DNA. Collectively, our results implicate that ZNF622 may act as a cellular antiviral protein hindering lytic HAdV growth and limiting pVII protein binding to viral DNA.IMPORTANCEHuman adenoviruses (HAdVs) are common human pathogens causing a wide range of acute infections. To counteract viral pathogenicity, cells encode a variety of antiviral proteins and noncoding RNAs to block virus growth. In this study, we show that the cellular zinc finger protein 622 (ZNF622) interacts with an essential HAdV protein known as pVII. This mutual interaction limits pVII binding to viral DNA. Further, ZNF622 has a role in HAdV life cycle since the lack of ZNF622 correlates with increased lysis of the infected cells and accumulation of the infectious virions. Together, our study reveals a novel cellular antiviral protein ZNF622, which may impede lytic HAdV growth.

scholarly journals Anchoring a secreted plasmodium antigen on the surface of recombinant vaccinia virus-infected cells increases its immunogenicity.

1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 3191-3199 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Langford ◽  
S J Edwards ◽  
G L Smith ◽  
G F Mitchell ◽  
B Moss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Poor Response ◽  
Subcellular Location ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Recombinant Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Recombinant Vaccinia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vaccinia Viruses ◽  
Infected Cells

We show that the subcellular location of foreign antigens expressed in recombinant vaccinia viruses influences their effectiveness as immunogens. Live recombinant viruses induced very poor antibody responses to a secreted repetitive plasmodial antigen (the S-antigen) in rabbits and mice. The poor response accords with epidemiological data suggesting that S-antigens are poorly immunogenic. Appending the transmembrane domain of a membrane immunoglobulin (immunoglobulin G1) to its carboxy terminus produced a hybrid S-antigen that was no longer secreted but was located on the surface of virus-infected cells. This recombinant virus elicited high antibody titers to the S-antigen. This approach will facilitate the use of live virus delivery systems to immunize against a wide range of foreign nonsurface antigens.

scholarly journals HIV-1 Evolutionary Patterns Associated with Metastatic Kaposi’s Sarcoma during AIDS

Sarcoma ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanna L. Lamers ◽  
Rebecca Rose ◽  
David J. Nolan ◽  
Gary B. Fogel ◽  
Andrew E. Barbier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kaposi's Sarcoma ◽  
Kaposi’S Sarcoma ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
Single Genome ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Autopsy Tissues

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) in HIV-infected individuals can have a wide range of clinical outcomes, from indolent skin tumors to a life-threatening visceral cancer. KS tumors contain endothelial-related cells and inflammatory cells that may be HIV-infected. In this study we tested if HIV evolutionary patterns distinguish KS tumor relatedness and progression. Multisite autopsies from participants who died from HIV-AIDS with KS prior to the availability of antiretroviral therapy were identified at the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR). Two patients (KS1 and KS2) died predominantly from non-KS-associated disease and KS3 died due to aggressive and metastatic KS within one month of diagnosis. Skin and visceral tumor and nontumor autopsy tissues were obtained (n=12). Single genome sequencing was used to amplify HIV RNA and DNA, which was present in all tumors. Independent HIV tumor clades in phylogenies differentiated KS1 and KS2 from KS3, whose sequences were interrelated by both phylogeny and selection. HIV compartmentalization was confirmed in KS1 and KS2 tumors; however, in KS3, no compartmentalization was observed among sampled tissues. While the sample size is small, the HIV evolutionary patterns observed in all patients suggest an interplay between tumor cells and HIV-infected cells which provides a selective advantage and could promote KS progression.

scholarly journals Effects of inducing or inhibiting apoptosis on Sindbis virus replication in mosquito cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 89 (11) ◽  
pp. 2651-2661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Wang ◽  
Carol D. Blair ◽  
Ken E. Olson ◽  
Rollie J. Clem
Keyword(s):  
Virus Replication ◽  
Persistent Infection ◽  
Sindbis Virus ◽  
Actinomycin D ◽  
Virus Production ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Lytic Infection ◽  
Mosquito Cells ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Apoptotic Genes

Sindbis virus (SINV) is a mosquito-borne virus in the genus Alphavirus, family Togaviridae. Like most alphaviruses, SINVs exhibit lytic infection (apoptosis) in many mammalian cell types, but are generally thought to cause persistent infection with only moderate cytopathic effects in mosquito cells. However, there have been several reports of apoptotic-like cell death in mosquitoes infected with alphaviruses or flaviviruses. Given that apoptosis has been shown to be an antiviral response in other systems, we have constructed recombinant SINVs that express either pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic genes in order to test the effects of inducing or inhibiting apoptosis on SINV replication in mosquito cells. Recombinant SINVs expressing the pro-apoptotic genes reaper (rpr) from Drosophila or michelob_x (mx) from Aedes aegypti caused extensive apoptosis in cells from the mosquito cell line C6/36, thus changing the normal persistent infection observed with SINV to a lytic infection. Although the infected cells underwent apoptosis, high levels of virus replication were still observed during the initial infection. However, virus production subsequently decreased compared with persistently infected cells, which continued to produce high levels of virus over the next several days. Infection of C6/36 cells with SINV expressing the baculovirus caspase inhibitor P35 inhibited actinomycin D-induced caspase activity and protected infected cells from actinomycin D-induced apoptosis, but had no observable effect on virus replication. This study is the first to test directly whether inducing or inhibiting apoptosis affects arbovirus replication in mosquito cells.

Features of creating expression vectors in pBAtC for editing the potato ADH1 locus and the Arabidopsis DYAD gene

Biomics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-519
Author(s):  
Rozhnova N.A. ◽  
Gerashchenkov K.G. ◽  
Elkonin L.A. ◽  
Gerashchenkov G.A.
Keyword(s):  
Expression Vectors ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Potato Plants ◽  
Pathogen Effectors ◽  
Arabidopsis Protein ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Eukaryotic Species ◽  
Specific Pathogen ◽  
Developmental Features

Genome-editing strategies have recently emerged as promising tools to impart desired properties to many eukaryotic species, including plants. This technology can CRISPR/Cas9 be used to engineer plant resistance to narrow or wide range of pathogens, reproductive developmental features and other plant properties. It is known that EDS1 arabidopsis protein controls protection activation and programmable cell death due to intercellular Toll-like immune receptors that recognize specific pathogen effectors. Unfortunately, the involvement of EDS1 protein in the antiphytoviral immunity of potato plants has not been studied. Meiosis has a special place in the system of sexual and seeds-without-sex reproduction. Key meiosis genes, and above all the DYAD/ SWI1 gene, are a potential candidate in the search for apomixis genes. Binary vectors were obtained on the basis of plasmid pBAtC by the restriction-ligase method. Thus, three expression vectors (p01, p03 and p04) were created for editing the locus EDS1. Two expression vectors (pII-25 and pVIII-29) were created to introduce mutations in the second and eighth exons of the DYAD/ SWI1 arabidopsis gene. In all cases, the presence of cloned inserts was confirmed by DNA sequencing. The created p01, p03, p04 vectors under the pAtU6-6 arabidopsis promoter and the previously obtained p13 vector under the potato pStU6 promoter are already used in the work on bioballistic transformation of potato plants in vitro.

scholarly journals Most viral peptides displayed by class I MHC on infected cells are immunogenic

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (8) ◽  
pp. 3112-3117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan P. Croft ◽  
Stewart A. Smith ◽  
Jana Pickering ◽  
John Sidney ◽  
Bjoern Peters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infected Mouse ◽  
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Peptide Sequencing ◽  
Class I ◽  
Class I Mhc ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Multiple Virus ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
High Fraction ◽  
Mouse Cells

CD8+ T cells are essential effectors in antiviral immunity, recognizing short virus-derived peptides presented by MHC class I (pMHCI) on the surface of infected cells. However, the fraction of viral pMHCI on infected cells that are immunogenic has not been shown for any virus. To approach this fundamental question, we used peptide sequencing by high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify more than 170 vaccinia virus pMHCI presented on infected mouse cells. Next, we screened each peptide for immunogenicity in multiple virus-infected mice, revealing a wide range of immunogenicities. A surprisingly high fraction (>80%) of pMHCI were immunogenic in at least one infected mouse, and nearly 40% were immunogenic across more than half of the mice screened. The high number of peptides found to be immunogenic and the distribution of responses across mice give us insight into the specificity of antiviral CD8+ T cell responses.

scholarly journals Antigenic Characterization of New Lineage II Insect-Specific Flaviviruses in Australian Mosquitoes and Identification of Host Restriction Factors

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica J. Harrison ◽  
Jody Hobson-Peters ◽  
Agathe M. G. Colmant ◽  
Joanna Koh ◽  
Natalee D. Newton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Yellow Fever Virus ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Host Restriction ◽  
Antiviral Responses ◽  
Vertebrate Cell ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Chimeric Viruses

ABSTRACT We describe two new insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) isolated from mosquitoes in Australia, Binjari virus (BinJV) and Hidden Valley virus (HVV), that grow efficiently in mosquito cells but fail to replicate in a range of vertebrate cell lines. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that BinJV and HVV were closely related (90% amino acid sequence identity) and clustered with lineage II (dual-host affiliated) ISFs, including the Lammi and Nounané viruses. Using a panel of monoclonal antibodies prepared to BinJV viral proteins, we confirmed a close relationship between HVV and BinJV and revealed that they were antigenically quite divergent from other lineage II ISFs. We also constructed chimeric viruses between BinJV and the vertebrate-infecting West Nile virus (WNV) by swapping the structural genes (prM and E) to produce BinJ/WNVKUN-prME and WNVKUN/BinJV-prME. This allowed us to assess the role of different regions of the BinJV genome in vertebrate host restriction and revealed that while BinJV structural proteins facilitated entry to vertebrate cells, the process was inefficient. In contrast, the BinJV replicative components in wild-type BinJV and BinJ/WNVKUN-prME failed to initiate replication in a wide range of vertebrate cell lines at 37°C, including cells lacking components of the innate immune response. However, trace levels of replication of BinJ/WNVKUN-prME could be detected in some cultures of mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) deficient in antiviral responses (IFNAR−/− MEFs or RNase L−/− MEFs) incubated at 34°C after inoculation. This suggests that BinJV replication in vertebrate cells is temperature sensitive and restricted at multiple stages of cellular infection, including inefficient cell entry and susceptibility to antiviral responses. IMPORTANCE The globally important flavivirus pathogens West Nile virus, Zika virus, dengue viruses, and yellow fever virus can infect mosquito vectors and be transmitted to humans and other vertebrate species in which they cause significant levels of disease and mortality. However, the subgroup of closely related flaviviruses, known as lineage II insect-specific flaviviruses (Lin II ISFs), only infect mosquitoes and cannot replicate in cells of vertebrate origin. Our data are the first to uncover the mechanisms that restrict the growth of Lin II ISFs in vertebrate cells and provides new insights into the evolution of these viruses and the mechanisms associated with host switching that may allow new mosquito-borne viral diseases to emerge. The new reagents generated in this study, including the first Lin II ISF-reactive monoclonal antibodies and Lin II ISF mutants and chimeric viruses, also provide new tools and approaches to enable further research advances in this field.

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