scholarly journals Reverse Genetics Approaches to Control Arenavirus

Author(s):  
Luis Martínez-Sobrido ◽  
Benson Yee Hin Cheng ◽  
Juan Carlos de la Torre
Keyword(s):  
2019 ◽  
Vol 476 (22) ◽  
pp. 3521-3532
Author(s):  
Eric Soubeyrand ◽  
Megan Kelly ◽  
Shea A. Keene ◽  
Ann C. Bernert ◽  
Scott Latimer ◽  
...  

Plants have evolved the ability to derive the benzenoid moiety of the respiratory cofactor and antioxidant, ubiquinone (coenzyme Q), either from the β-oxidative metabolism of p-coumarate or from the peroxidative cleavage of kaempferol. Here, isotopic feeding assays, gene co-expression analysis and reverse genetics identified Arabidopsis 4-COUMARATE-COA LIGASE 8 (4-CL8; At5g38120) as a contributor to the β-oxidation of p-coumarate for ubiquinone biosynthesis. The enzyme is part of the same clade (V) of acyl-activating enzymes than At4g19010, a p-coumarate CoA ligase known to play a central role in the conversion of p-coumarate into 4-hydroxybenzoate. A 4-cl8 T-DNA knockout displayed a 20% decrease in ubiquinone content compared with wild-type plants, while 4-CL8 overexpression boosted ubiquinone content up to 150% of the control level. Similarly, the isotopic enrichment of ubiquinone's ring was decreased by 28% in the 4-cl8 knockout as compared with wild-type controls when Phe-[Ring-13C6] was fed to the plants. This metabolic blockage could be bypassed via the exogenous supply of 4-hydroxybenzoate, the product of p-coumarate β-oxidation. Arabidopsis 4-CL8 displays a canonical peroxisomal targeting sequence type 1, and confocal microscopy experiments using fused fluorescent reporters demonstrated that this enzyme is imported into peroxisomes. Time course feeding assays using Phe-[Ring-13C6] in a series of Arabidopsis single and double knockouts blocked in the β-oxidative metabolism of p-coumarate (4-cl8; at4g19010; at4g19010 × 4-cl8), flavonol biosynthesis (flavanone-3-hydroxylase), or both (at4g19010 × flavanone-3-hydroxylase) indicated that continuous high light treatments (500 µE m−2 s−1; 24 h) markedly stimulated the de novo biosynthesis of ubiquinone independently of kaempferol catabolism.


2001 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Tisser ◽  
Patrice Bourgeois
Keyword(s):  

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 289
Author(s):  
Kathleen K. M. Glover ◽  
Danica M. Sutherland ◽  
Terence S. Dermody ◽  
Kevin M. Coombs

Studies of conditionally lethal mutants can help delineate the structure-function relationships of biomolecules. Temperature-sensitive (ts) mammalian reovirus (MRV) mutants were isolated and characterized many years ago. Two of the most well-defined MRV ts mutants are tsC447, which contains mutations in the S2 gene encoding viral core protein σ2, and tsG453, which contains mutations in the S4 gene encoding major outer-capsid protein σ3. Because many MRV ts mutants, including both tsC447 and tsG453, encode multiple amino acid substitutions, the specific amino acid substitutions responsible for the ts phenotype are unknown. We used reverse genetics to recover recombinant reoviruses containing the single amino acid polymorphisms present in ts mutants tsC447 and tsG453 and assessed the recombinant viruses for temperature-sensitivity by efficiency-of-plating assays. Of the three amino acid substitutions in the tsG453 S4 gene, Asn16-Lys was solely responsible for the tsG453ts phenotype. Additionally, the mutant tsC447 Ala188-Val mutation did not induce a temperature-sensitive phenotype. This study is the first to employ reverse genetics to identify the dominant amino acid substitutions responsible for the tsC447 and tsG453 mutations and relate these substitutions to respective phenotypes. Further studies of other MRV ts mutants are warranted to define the sequence polymorphisms responsible for temperature sensitivity.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3476
Author(s):  
Kwang-Woo Jung ◽  
Moon-Soo Chung ◽  
Hyoung-Woo Bai ◽  
Byung Yeoup Chung ◽  
Sungbeom Lee

Due to lifespan extension and changes in global climate, the increase in mycoses caused by primary and opportunistic fungal pathogens is now a global concern. Despite increasing attention, limited options are available for the treatment of systematic and invasive mycoses, owing to the evolutionary similarity between humans and fungi. Although plants produce a diversity of chemicals to protect themselves from pathogens, the molecular targets and modes of action of these plant-derived chemicals have not been well characterized. Using a reverse genetics approach, the present study revealed that thymol, a monoterpene alcohol from Thymus vulgaris L., (Lamiaceae), exhibits antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans by regulating multiple signaling pathways including calcineurin, unfolded protein response, and HOG (high-osmolarity glycerol) MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways. Thymol treatment reduced the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ by controlling the expression levels of calcium transporter genes in a calcineurin-dependent manner. We demonstrated that thymol decreased N-glycosylation by regulating the expression levels of genes involved in glycan-mediated post-translational modifications. Furthermore, thymol treatment reduced endogenous ergosterol content by decreasing the expression of ergosterol biosynthesis genes in a HOG MAPK pathway-dependent manner. Collectively, this study sheds light on the antifungal mechanisms of thymol against C. neoformans.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 435
Author(s):  
Makoto Ujike ◽  
Fumihiro Taguchi

Torovirus (ToV) has recently been classified into the new family Tobaniviridae, although it belonged to the Coronavirus (CoV) family historically. ToVs are associated with enteric diseases in animals and humans. In contrast to CoVs, which are recognised as pathogens of veterinary and medical importance, little attention has been paid to ToVs because their infections are usually asymptomatic or not severe; for a long time, only one equine ToV could be propagated in cultured cells. However, bovine ToVs, which predominantly cause diarrhoea in calves, have been detected worldwide, leading to economic losses. Porcine ToVs have also spread globally; although they have not caused serious economic losses, coinfections with other pathogens can exacerbate their symptoms. In addition, frequent inter- or intra-recombination among ToVs can increase pathogenesis or unpredicted host adaptation. These findings have highlighted the importance of ToVs as pathogens and the need for basic ToV research. Here, we review recent progress in the study of ToV molecular biology including reverse genetics, focusing on the similarities and differences between ToVs and CoVs.


Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 371 (6531) ◽  
pp. eaba6605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Marc Delaux ◽  
Sebastian Schornack

During 450 million years of diversification on land, plants and microbes have evolved together. This is reflected in today’s continuum of associations, ranging from parasitism to mutualism. Through phylogenetics, cell biology, and reverse genetics extending beyond flowering plants into bryophytes, scientists have started to unravel the genetic basis and evolutionary trajectories of plant-microbe associations. Protection against pathogens and support of beneficial, symbiotic, microorganisms are sustained by a blend of conserved and clade-specific plant mechanisms evolving at different speeds. We propose that symbiosis consistently emerges from the co-option of protection mechanisms and general cell biology principles. Exploring and harnessing the diversity of molecular mechanisms used in nonflowering plant-microbe interactions may extend the possibilities for engineering symbiosis-competent and pathogen-resilient crops.


2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (10) ◽  
pp. 1231-1239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent N. Fondong ◽  
Ugrappa Nagalakshmi ◽  
Savithramma P. Dinesh-Kumar

Advances in functional genomics and genome editing approaches have provided new opportunities and potential to accelerate plant virus control efforts through modification of host and viral genomes in a precise and predictable manner. Here, we discuss application of RNA-based technologies, including artificial micro RNA, transacting small interfering RNA, and Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat–associated protein 9), which are currently being successfully deployed in generating virus-resistant plants. We further discuss the reverse genetics approach, targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING) and its variant, known as EcoTILLING, that are used in the identification of plant virus recessive resistance gene alleles. In addition to describing specific applications of these technologies in plant virus control, this review discusses their advantages and limitations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulraj K. Lawrence ◽  
Bachra Rokbi ◽  
Nadège Arnaud-Barbe ◽  
Eric L. Sutten ◽  
Junzo Norimine ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusis a commensal bacterium associated with the skin and mucosal surfaces of humans and animals that can also cause chronic infection. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA) and strains causing chronic intramammary infections (IMI) in cows results in severe human and livestock infections. Conventional approaches to vaccine development have yielded only a few noneffective vaccines against MRSA or IMI strains, so there is a need for improved vaccine development. CD4 T lymphocytes are required for promoting gamma interferon (IFN-γ) mediated immunoglobulin isotype switching in B lymphocytes to produce high-affinity IgG antibodies and IFN-γ-mediated phagocyte activation for an effective resolution of bacterial infection. However, the lack of known CD4 T cell antigens fromS. aureushas made it difficult to design effective vaccines. The goal of this study was to identifyS. aureusproteins recognized by immune CD4 T cells. Using a reverse genetics approach, 43 antigens were selected from theS. aureusNewman strain. These included lipoproteins, proteases, transcription regulators, an alkaline shock protein, conserved-domain proteins, hemolysins, fibrinogen-binding protein, staphylokinase, exotoxin, enterotoxin, sortase, and protein A. Screening of expressed proteins for recall T cell responses in outbred, immune calves identified 13 proteins that share over 80% sequence identity among MRSA or IMI strains. These may be useful for inclusion in a broadly protective multiantigen vaccine against MRSA or IMI.


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