scholarly journals Assembly intermediates of orthoreovirus captured in the cell

Author(s):  
Geoff Sutton ◽  
Dapeng Sun ◽  
Xiaofeng Fu ◽  
Abhay Kotecha ◽  
Corey W. Hecksel ◽  
...  

Traditionally molecular assembly pathways for viruses have been inferred from high resolution structures of stable intermediates purified in vitro, and from low resolution images of cell sections as well as from genetic approaches including conditionally lethal mutants. Here, we directly visualise a previously unsuspected ‘single shelled’ icosahedral intermediate for a mammalian orthoreovirus, in addition to the expected virions, in cryo-preserved infected cells by cryo-electron tomography of cellular lamellae1,2. Particle classification and averaging yielded structures at resolutions as high as 5.6 Å, sufficient to identify secondary structural elements and place known molecular structures, allowing us to produce an atomic model of the intermediate, comprising 120 copies of protein λ1 and 120 copies of σ2. This λ1 shell is in a ‘collapsed’ form compared to the mature virions, with the molecules pushed inwards at the icosahedral 5-folds by ~100 Å. This grossly indented shell, although produced by a mammalian reovirus, is reminiscent of the first assembly intermediate of prokaryotic dsRNA viruses belonging to a different virus family3, adding weight to the supposition that these diverse viruses share a common ancestor, and suggesting mechanisms for the assembly of viruses of the Reoviridae. Such methodology holds enormous promise for the dissection of the replication cycle of many viruses.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Sutton ◽  
Dapeng Sun ◽  
Xiaofeng Fu ◽  
Abhay Kotecha ◽  
Corey W. Hecksel ◽  
...  

Abstract Traditionally, molecular assembly pathways for viruses are inferred from high resolution structures of purified stable intermediates, low resolution images of cell sections and genetic approaches. Here, we directly visualise an unsuspected ‘single shelled’ intermediate for a mammalian orthoreovirus in cryo-preserved infected cells, by cryo-electron tomography of cellular lamellae. Particle classification and averaging yields structures to 5.6 Å resolution, sufficient to identify secondary structural elements and produce an atomic model of the intermediate, comprising 120 copies each of protein λ1 and σ2. This λ1 shell is ‘collapsed’ compared to the mature virions, with molecules pushed inwards at the icosahedral fivefolds by ~100 Å, reminiscent of the first assembly intermediate of certain prokaryotic dsRNA viruses. This supports the supposition that these viruses share a common ancestor, and suggests mechanisms for the assembly of viruses of the Reoviridae. Such methodology holds promise for dissecting the replication cycle of many viruses.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Chmielewski ◽  
Michael F. Schmid ◽  
Graham Simmons ◽  
Jing Jin ◽  
Wah Chiu

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus and the etiological agent for debilitating arthritogenic disease in humans. Previous studies with purified virions or budding mutants have not resolved the structural mechanism of alphavirus assembly in situ. Here we used cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET) imaging of CHIKV-infected human cells and subvolume classification to resolve distinct assembly intermediate conformations. These structures revealed that particle formation is driven by the spike envelope layer. Additionally, we showed that asymmetric immature nucleocapsids (NCs) provide scaffolds to trigger assembly of the icosahedral spike lattice, which progressively transforms immature NCs into icosahedral cores during virus budding. Further, cryoET of the infected cells treated with neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) showed that NAb-induced blockage of CHIKV assembly was achieved by preventing spike-spike lateral interactions that are required to bend the plasma membrane around NC cores. These findings provide molecular mechanisms for designing antivirals targeting spike-driven assembly/budding of viruses.


2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 3535-3541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajime Shinmoto ◽  
Ken Taniguchi ◽  
Takuya Ikawa ◽  
Kenji Kawai ◽  
Syun-ichirou Oshima

ABSTRACT Megalocytivirus is causing economically serious mass mortality by infecting fish in and around the Pacific region of Asia. The recent emergence of many new iridoviruses has drawn attention to the marked taxonomic variation within this virus family. Most studies of these viruses have not included extensive study of these emergent species. We explored the emergence of red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) on a fish farm in Japan, and we specifically endeavored to quantify genetic and phenotypic differences between RSIV isolates using in vitro and in vivo methods. The three isolates had identical major capsid protein sequences, and they were closely related to Korean RSIV isolates. In vitro studies revealed that the isolates differed in replication rate, which was determined by real-time quantitative PCR of viral genomes in infected cells and cell culture supernatant, and in cell viability, estimated by the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay for infected cells. In vivo studies showed that the isolates exhibit different virulence characteristics: infected red sea bream showed either acute death or subacute death according to infection with different isolates. Significant differences were seen in the antigenicity of isolates by a formalin-inactivated vaccine test. These results revealed that variant characteristics exist in the same phylogenetic location in emergent iridoviruses. We suggest that this strain variation would expand the host range in iridoviral epidemics.


Author(s):  
Nobutaka Hirokawa

In this symposium I will present our studies about the molecular architecture and function of the cytomatrix of the nerve cells. The nerve cell is a highly polarized cell composed of highly branched dendrites, cell body, and a single long axon along the direction of the impulse propagation. Each part of the neuron takes characteristic shapes for which the cytoskeleton provides the framework. The neuronal cytoskeletons play important roles on neuronal morphogenesis, organelle transport and the synaptic transmission. In the axon neurofilaments (NF) form dense arrays, while microtubules (MT) are arranged as small clusters among the NFs. On the other hand, MTs are distributed uniformly, whereas NFs tend to run solitarily or form small fascicles in the dendrites Quick freeze deep etch electron microscopy revealed various kinds of strands among MTs, NFs and membranous organelles (MO). These structures form major elements of the cytomatrix in the neuron. To investigate molecular nature and function of these filaments first we studied molecular structures of microtubule associated proteins (MAP1A, MAP1B, MAP2, MAP2C and tau), and microtubules reconstituted from MAPs and tubulin in vitro. These MAPs were all fibrous molecules with different length and formed arm like projections from the microtubule surface.


1964 ◽  
Vol 12 (01) ◽  
pp. 232-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sasaki ◽  
T Takemoto ◽  
S Oka

SummaryTo demonstrate whether the intravascular precipitation of fibrinogen is responsible for the toxicity of heparinoid, the relation between the toxicity of heparinoid in vivo and the precipitation of fibrinogen in vitro was investigated, using dextran sulfate of various molecular weights and various heparinoids.1. There are close relationships between the molecular weight of dextran sulfate, its toxicity, and the quantity of fibrinogen precipitated.2. The close relationship between the toxicity and the precipitation of fibrinogen found for dextran sulfate holds good for other heparinoids regardless of their molecular structures.3. Histological findings suggest strongly that the pathological changes produced with dextran sulfate are caused primarily by the intravascular precipitates with occlusion of the capillaries.From these facts, it is concluded that the precipitates of fibrinogen with heparinoid may be the cause or at least the major cause of the toxicity of heparinoid.4. The most suitable molecular weight of dextran sulfate for clinical use was found to be 5,300 ~ 6,700, from the maximum value of the product (LD50 · Anticoagulant activity). This product (LD50 · Anticoagulant activity) can be employed generally to assess the comparative merits of various heparinoids.5. Clinical use of the dextran sulfate prepared on this basis gave satisfactory results. No severe reaction was observed. However, two delayed reactions, alopecia and thrombocytopenia, were observed. These two reactions seem to come from the cause other than intravascular precipitation.


1976 ◽  
Vol 4 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 207-211
Author(s):  
SHUN SHINBO ◽  
TAKATOSHI KOBAYAKAWA ◽  
HIROSHI ISHIYAMA ◽  
KAZUSHIGE MASUDA

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1144
Author(s):  
Isabel Marcelino ◽  
Philippe Holzmuller ◽  
Ana Coelho ◽  
Gabriel Mazzucchelli ◽  
Bernard Fernandez ◽  
...  

The Rickettsiales Ehrlichia ruminantium, the causal agent of the fatal tick-borne disease Heartwater, induces severe damage to the vascular endothelium in ruminants. Nevertheless, E. ruminantium-induced pathobiology remains largely unknown. Our work paves the way for understanding this phenomenon by using quantitative proteomic analyses (2D-DIGE-MS/MS, 1DE-nanoLC-MS/MS and biotin-nanoUPLC-MS/MS) of host bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAE) during the in vitro bacterium intracellular replication cycle. We detect 265 bacterial proteins (including virulence factors), at all time-points of the E. ruminantium replication cycle, highlighting a dynamic bacterium–host interaction. We show that E. ruminantium infection modulates the expression of 433 host proteins: 98 being over-expressed, 161 under-expressed, 140 detected only in infected BAE cells and 34 exclusively detected in non-infected cells. Cystoscape integrated data analysis shows that these proteins lead to major changes in host cell immune responses, host cell metabolism and vesicle trafficking, with a clear involvement of inflammation-related proteins in this process. Our findings led to the first model of E. ruminantium infection in host cells in vitro, and we highlight potential biomarkers of E. ruminantium infection in endothelial cells (such as ROCK1, TMEM16K, Albumin and PTPN1), which may be important to further combat Heartwater, namely by developing non-antibiotic-based strategies.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Sara Artusi ◽  
Emanuela Ruggiero ◽  
Matteo Nadai ◽  
Beatrice Tosoni ◽  
Rosalba Perrone ◽  
...  

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) genome is extremely rich in guanine tracts that fold into G-quadruplexes (G4s), nucleic acid secondary structures implicated in key biological functions. Viral G4s were visualized in HSV-1 infected cells, with massive virus cycle-dependent G4-formation peaking during viral DNA replication. Small molecules that specifically interact with G4s have been shown to inhibit HSV-1 DNA replication. We here investigated the antiviral activity of TMPyP4, a porphyrin known to interact with G4s. The analogue TMPyP2, with lower G4 affinity, was used as control. We showed by biophysical analysis that TMPyP4 interacts with HSV-1 G4s, and inhibits polymerase progression in vitro; in infected cells, it displayed good antiviral activity which, however, was independent of inhibition of virus DNA replication or entry. At low TMPyP4 concentration, the virus released by the cells was almost null, while inside the cell virus amounts were at control levels. TEM analysis showed that virus particles were trapped inside cytoplasmatic vesicles, which could not be ascribed to autophagy, as proven by RT-qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence analysis. Our data indicate a unique mechanism of action of TMPyP4 against HSV-1, and suggest the unprecedented involvement of currently unknown G4s in viral or antiviral cellular defense pathways.


Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Kamyshinsky ◽  
Yury Chesnokov ◽  
Liubov Dadinova ◽  
Andrey Mozhaev ◽  
Ivan Orlov ◽  
...  

Rapid increase of intracellular synthesis of specific histone-like Dps protein that binds DNA to protect the genome against deleterious factors leads to in cellulo crystallization—one of the most curious processes in the area of life science at the moment. However, the actual structure of the Dps–DNA co-crystals remained uncertain in the details for more than two decades. Cryo-electron tomography and small-angle X-ray scattering revealed polymorphous modifications of the co-crystals depending on the buffer parameters. Two different types of the Dps–DNA co-crystals are formed in vitro: triclinic and cubic. Three-dimensional reconstruction revealed DNA and Dps molecules in cubic co-crystals, and the unit cell parameters of cubic lattice were determined consistently by both methods.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document