scholarly journals Particle morphology of medusavirus inside and outside the cells reveals a new maturation process of giant viruses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryoto Watanabe ◽  
Chihong Song ◽  
Yoko Kayama ◽  
Masaharu Takemura ◽  
Kazuyoshi Murata

Medusavirus, a giant virus, is phylogenetically closer to eukaryotes than the other giant viruses and has been recently classified as an independent species. However, details of its morphology and maturation process in host cells remain unclear. Here, we investigated the particle morphology of medusavirus inside and outside infected cells using conventional transmission electron microscopy (C-TEM) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The C-TEM of amoeba infected with the medusavirus showed four types of particles: empty, DNA-full, and the corresponding intermediates. Time-dependent changes in the proportion and following intracellular localization of these particles suggested a new maturation process for the medusavirus. Empty particles and viral DNAs were produced independently in the cytoplasm and nucleus, respectively, and only empty particles located near the nucleus incorporated the viral DNA into the capsid. All four types of particles were also found outside the cells. The cryo-EM of these particles showed that the intact capsid structure, covered with three different types of spikes, was conserved among all particle types, although with minor size-related differences. The internal membrane exhibited a structural array similar to that of the capsid, interacted closely with the capsid, and displayed open membrane structures in the empty and empty-intermediate particles. This result suggests that the open structures in the internal membrane are used for an exchange of scaffold proteins and viral DNA during the maturation process. This new model of the maturation process of medusavirus provides insight into the structural and behavioral diversity of giant viruses.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond N Burton-Smith ◽  
Hemanth K N Reddy ◽  
Martin Svenda ◽  
Chantal Abergel ◽  
Kenta Okamoto ◽  
...  

Members of Marseilleviridae, one family of icosahedral giant viruses classified in 2012 have been identified worldwide in all types of environments. The virion shows a characteristic internal membrane extrusion at the five-fold vertices of the capsid, but its structural details need to be elucidated. We now report the 4.4 Å cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Melbournevirus capsid. An atomic model of the major capsid protein (MCP) shows a unique cup structure on the trimer that accommodates additional proteins. A polyalanine model of the penton base protein shows internally extended N- and C-terminals, which indirectly connect to the internal membrane extrusion. The Marseilleviruses share the same orientational organisation of the MCPs as PBCV-1 and CroV, but do not appear to possess a protein akin to the ″tape measure″ of these viruses. Minor capsid proteins named PC-β, zipper, and scaffold are proposed to control the dimensions of the capsid during assembly.


Author(s):  
O. L. Shaffer ◽  
M.S. El-Aasser ◽  
C. L. Zhao ◽  
M. A. Winnik ◽  
R. R. Shivers

Transmission electron microscopy is an important approach to the characterization of the morphology of multiphase latices. Various sample preparation techniques have been applied to multiphase latices such as OsO4, RuO4 and CsOH stains to distinguish the polymer phases or domains. Radiation damage by an electron beam of latices imbedded in ice has also been used as a technique to study particle morphology. Further studies have been developed in the use of freeze-fracture and the effect of differential radiation damage at liquid nitrogen temperatures of the latex particles embedded in ice and not embedded.Two different series of two-stage latices were prepared with (1) a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) seed and poly(styrene) (PS) second stage; (2) a PS seed and PMMA second stage. Both series have varying amounts of second-stage monomer which was added to the seed latex semicontinuously. A drop of diluted latex was placed on a 200-mesh Formvar-carbon coated copper grid.


Author(s):  
Dwight Anderson ◽  
Charlene Peterson ◽  
Gursaran Notani ◽  
Bernard Reilly

The protein product of cistron 3 of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage Ø29 is essential for viral DNA synthesis and is covalently bound to the 5’-termini of the Ø29 DNA. When the DNA-protein complex is cleaved with a restriction endonuclease, the protein is bound to the two terminal fragments. The 28,000 dalton protein can be visualized by electron microscopy as a small dot and often is seen only when two ends are in apposition as in multimers or in glutaraldehyde-fixed aggregates. We sought to improve the visibility of these small proteins by use of antibody labeling.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 745-754
Author(s):  
Khoirina Dwi Nugrahaningtyas ◽  
Eddy Heraldy ◽  
Rachmadani ◽  
Yuniawan Hidayat ◽  
Indriana Kartini

Abstract The properties of three types of CoMo/USY catalysts with different synthesized methods have been studied. The sequential and co-impregnation methods followed by activation using calcination and reduction process have been conducted. The properties of the catalysts were examined using Fourier-transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) with refinement, and surface area analyzer (SAA). The FTIR spectrum study revealed the enhanced intensity of its Bronsted acid site, and the XRD diffractogram pattern verified the composition of pure metals, oxides, and alloys in the catalyst. The SAA demonstrated the mesoporous features of the catalyst. Scanning electron microscopy showed an irregular particle morphology. Additional analysis using the transmission electron microscopy indicated that the metal has successfully impregnated without damaging the USY structure.


2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 619-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Ali ◽  
F.A. Al-Sagheer ◽  
M.I. Zaki

Three different modifications of manganese(IV) oxide, viz. cryptomelane, nsutite and todorokite-like, were synthesized by hydrothermal methods. The bulk chemical composition, phase composition, crystalline structure and particle morphology of the resulting materials were determined by thermogravimetry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The surface chemical composition, texture and structure were assessed using X-ray photoelectron microscopy, nitrogen sorptiometry and high-resolution electron microscopy. The results highlighted the hydrothermal conditions under which such tunnel-structured modifications of manganese(IV) oxide can be successfully synthesized. Moreover, they revealed that (i) the bulk was microcrystalline, (ii) the crystallites were either fibrils (cryptomelane and nsutite) or rod-like (todorokite) with low-index exposed facets, (iii) the surface chemical composition mostly reflected that of the bulk and (iv) the surface texture was linked with high specific areas, slit-shaped mesopores associated with particle interstices and micropores which allowed surface accessibility to the bulk tunnels of the test oxides. The application of such test oxides as shape-selective oxidation catalysts appears worthy of investigation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi24-vi25
Author(s):  
Lata Adnani ◽  
Brian Meehan ◽  
Jordan Kassouf ◽  
Cristiana Spinelli ◽  
Nadim Tawil ◽  
...  

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents the most frequent and lethal form of brain tumors originating from glioma stem cells (GSCs). GBM remains lethal because the rate limiting patho-mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this regard, few limitations involve the diversity 'between' cellular states and the molecular/cellular complexity 'within' the tumour mass. Using cell based- and mouse- models, we explored extracellular vesicle (EV) mediated interactions between cancer and stromal cells impacting phenotypes of GSCs as a function of their molecular subtype. EVs are spherical membrane structures that cells release to expel different molecular cargo (lipids, proteins, RNA, DNA), which can be transported across a distance in the brain and taken up by various ‘recipient’ cells resulting in reprogramming of the recipient cell's content and function. In vivo, GSCs altered their pattern of NOTCH signalling and molecular phenotype as a function of proximity to non-transformed host cells in the brain. In vitro stromal EVs altered GSC sphere forming capacity, proteome and expression of mesenchymal markers. Thus, EV mediated tumour-stromal interactions could represent a biological switch and a novel targeting point in the biology of GBM.


2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Cláudia dos Santos Pereira Andrade ◽  
Paulo Victor de Miranda Boratto ◽  
Rodrigo Araújo Lima Rodrigues ◽  
Talita Machado Bastos ◽  
Bruna Luiza Azevedo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Giant viruses are complex members of the virosphere, exhibiting outstanding structural and genomic features. Among these viruses, the pandoraviruses are some of the most intriguing members, exhibiting giant particles and genomes presenting at up to 2.5 Mb, with many genes having no known function. In this work, we analyzed, by virological and microscopic methods, the replication cycle steps of three new pandoravirus isolates from samples collected in different regions of Brazil. Our data indicate that all analyzed pandoravirus isolates can deeply modify the Acanthamoeba cytoplasmic environment, recruiting mitochondria and membranes into and around the electron-lucent viral factories. We also observed that the viral factories start forming before the complete degradation of the cellular nucleus. Various patterns of pandoravirus particle morphogenesis were observed, and the assembly of the particles seemed to be started either by the apex or by the opposite side. On the basis of the counting of viral particles during the infection time course, we observed that pandoravirus particles could undergo exocytosis after their morphogenesis in a process that involved intense recruitment of membranes that wrapped the just-formed particles. The treatment of infected cells with brefeldin affected particle exocytosis in two of the three analyzed strains, indicating biological variability among isolates. Despite such particle exocytosis, the lysis of host cells also contributed to viral release. This work reinforces knowledge of and reveals important steps in the replication cycle of pandoraviruses. IMPORTANCE The emerging Pandoraviridae family is composed of some of the most complex viruses known to date. Only a few pandoravirus isolates have been described until now, and many aspects of their life cycle remain to be elucidated. A comprehensive description of the replication cycle is pivotal to a better understanding of the biology of the virus. For this report, we describe new pandoraviruses and used different methods to better characterize the steps of the replication cycle of this new group of viruses. Our results provide new information about the diversity and biology of these giant viruses.


mBio ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengxi Jiang ◽  
Pouya Entezami ◽  
Monica Gamez ◽  
Thomas Stamminger ◽  
Michael J. Imperiale

ABSTRACTBK virus (BKV) is the causative agent for polyomavirus-associated nephropathy, a severe disease found in renal transplant patients due to reactivation of a persistent BKV infection. BKV replication relies on the interactions of BKV with many nuclear components, and subnuclear structures such as promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) are known to play regulatory roles during a number of DNA virus infections. In this study, we investigated the relationship between PML-NBs and BKV during infection of primary human renal proximal tubule epithelial (RPTE) cells. While the levels of the major PML-NB protein components remained unchanged, BKV infection of RPTE cells resulted in dramatic alterations in both the number and the size of PML-NBs. Furthermore, two normally constitutive components of PML-NBs, Sp100 and hDaxx, became dispersed from PML-NBs. To define the viral factors responsible for this reorganization, we examined the cellular localization of the BKV large tumor antigen (TAg) and viral DNA. TAg colocalized with PML-NBs during early infection, while a number of BKV chromosomes were adjacent to PML-NBs during late infection. We demonstrated that TAg alone was not sufficient to reorganize PML-NBs and that active viral DNA replication is required. Knockdown of PML protein did not dramatically affect BKV growth in culture. BKV infection, however, was able to rescue the growth of an ICP0-null herpes simplex virus 1 mutant whose growth defect was partially due to its inability to disrupt PML-NBs. We hypothesize that the antiviral functions of PML-NBs are inactivated through reorganization during normal BKV infection.IMPORTANCEBK virus (BKV) is a human pathogen that causes severe diseases, including polyomavirus-associated nephropathy in kidney transplant patients and hemorrhagic cystitis in bone marrow transplant recipients. How BKV replication is regulated and the effects of a lytic BKV infection on host cells at the molecular level are not well understood. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment for BKV-associated disease, and a better understanding of the complete life cycle of the virus is necessary. Here, we report the interplay between BKV and one of the regulatory structures in the host cell nucleus, promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs). Our results show that BKV infection reorganizes PML-NBs as a strategy to inactivate the negative functions of PML-NBs.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document