scholarly journals Identification of a functional small non-coding RNA encoded by African swine fever virus

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. M. Dunn ◽  
Alasdair Ivens ◽  
Christopher L. Netherton ◽  
David A. G. Chapman ◽  
Philippa M. Beard
Keyword(s):  
Small Rnas ◽  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Log Reduction ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
Haemorrhagic Disease ◽  
Cellular Components

AbstractAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a lethal haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs, to which there is no vaccine available. ASFV has a large, double-stranded DNA genome that encodes over 150 proteins. Replication takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell and involves complex interactions with host cellular components including small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs). A number of DNA viruses are known to manipulate sncRNA either by encoding their own or disrupting host sncRNA. In order to investigate the interplay between ASFV and sncRNAs, study of host and viral small RNAs extracted from ASFV-infected primary porcine macrophages (PAMs) was undertaken. We discovered that ASFV infection had only a modest effect on host miRNAs, with only 6 miRNAs differentially expressed during infection. The data also revealed 3 potential novel small RNAs encoded by ASFV, ASFVsRNA1-3. Further investigation of ASFVsRNA2 detected it in lymphoid tissue from pigs with ASF. Overexpression of ASFVsRNA2 led to up to a 1 log reduction in ASFV growth indicating that ASFV utilises a virally-encoded small RNA to disrupt its own replication. This study describes the modest impact of ASFV on host sncRNAs and the identification of a functional ASFV-encoded sncRNA.ImportanceAfrican swine fever (ASF) poses a major threat to pig populations and food security worldwide. The disease is endemic in Africa and Eastern Europe and rapidly emerging into Asia where it has led to the deaths of millions of pigs in the past 12 months. The development of safe and effective vaccines to protect pigs against ASF has been hindered by lack of understanding of the complex interactions between ASFV and the host cell. We focused our work on characterising the interactions between ASFV and sncRNAs. We found only modest changes to host sncRNA abundance after ASFV infection, and discovered a functional ASFV-encoded sncRNA. The knowledge from this study can be exploited to develop more effective ASFV vaccines that take advantage of the sncRNA system.

scholarly journals Identification of a Functional Small Noncoding RNA of African Swine Fever Virus

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. M. Dunn ◽  
Alasdair Ivens ◽  
Christopher L. Netherton ◽  
David A. G. Chapman ◽  
Philippa M. Beard
Keyword(s):  
Small Rnas ◽  
Noncoding Rna ◽  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Hemorrhagic Disease ◽  
Small Noncoding Rna ◽  
Small Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Log Reduction ◽  
Complex Interactions

ABSTRACT African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a lethal hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs, against which no vaccine is available. ASFV has a large, double-stranded DNA genome that encodes over 150 proteins. Replication takes place predominantly in the cytoplasm of the cell and involves complex interactions with host cellular components, including small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs). A number of DNA viruses are known to manipulate sncRNA either by encoding their own or disrupting host sncRNA. To investigate the interplay between ASFV and sncRNAs, a study of host and viral small RNAs extracted from ASFV-infected primary porcine macrophages (PAMs) was undertaken. We discovered that ASFV infection had only a modest effect on host miRNAs, with only 6 miRNAs differentially expressed during infection. The data also revealed 3 potential novel small RNAs encoded by ASFV, ASFVsRNA1-3. Further investigation of ASFVsRNA2 detected it in lymphoid tissue from pigs with ASF. Overexpression of ASFVsRNA2 led to an up to 1-log reduction in ASFV growth, indicating that ASFV utilizes a virus-encoded small RNA to disrupt its own replication. IMPORTANCE African swine fever (ASF) poses a major threat to pig populations and food security worldwide. The disease is endemic to Africa and Eastern Europe and is rapidly emerging into Asia, where it has led to the deaths of millions of pigs in the last 12 months. The development of safe and effective vaccines to protect pigs against ASF has been hindered by lack of understanding of the complex interactions between ASFV and the host cell. We focused our work on characterizing the interactions between ASFV and sncRNAs. Although comparatively modest changes to host sncRNA abundances were observed upon ASFV infection, we discovered and characterized a novel functional ASFV-encoded sncRNA. The results from this study add important insights into ASFV host-pathogen interactions. This knowledge may be exploited to develop more effective ASFV vaccines that take advantage of the sncRNA system.

scholarly journals Transcriptome view of a killer: African swine fever virus

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1569-1581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwenny Cackett ◽  
Michal Sýkora ◽  
Finn Werner
Keyword(s):  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Temporal Regulation ◽  
Global Agriculture ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Large Dna Viruses ◽  
Nucleotide Resolution ◽  
Single Nucleotide Resolution

African swine fever virus (ASFV) represents a severe threat to global agriculture with the world's domestic pig population reduced by a quarter following recent outbreaks in Europe and Asia. Like other nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses, ASFV encodes a transcription apparatus including a eukaryote-like RNA polymerase along with a combination of virus-specific, and host-related transcription factors homologous to the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and TFIIB. Despite its high impact, the molecular basis and temporal regulation of ASFV transcription is not well understood. Our lab recently applied deep sequencing approaches to characterise the viral transcriptome and gene expression during early and late ASFV infection. We have characterised the viral promoter elements and termination signatures, by mapping the RNA-5′ and RNA-3′ termini at single nucleotide resolution. In this review, we discuss the emerging field of ASFV transcripts, transcription, and transcriptomics.

scholarly journals Pacmanvirus, a New Giant Icosahedral Virus at the Crossroads between Asfarviridae and Faustoviruses

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Andreani ◽  
Jacques Yaacoub Bou Khalil ◽  
Madhumati Sevvana ◽  
Samia Benamar ◽  
Fabrizio Di Pinto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Dna Virus ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Protein Locus

ABSTRACT African swine fever virus, a double-stranded DNA virus that infects pigs, is the only known member of the Asfarviridae family. Nevertheless, during our isolation and sequencing of the complete genome of faustovirus, followed by the description of kaumoebavirus, carried out over the past 2 years, we observed the emergence of previously unknown related viruses within this group of viruses. Here we describe the isolation of pacmanvirus, a fourth member in this group, which is capable of infecting Acanthamoeba castellanii. Pacmanvirus A23 has a linear compact genome of 395,405 bp, with a 33.62% G+C content. The pacmanvirus genome harbors 465 genes, with a high coding density. An analysis of reciprocal best hits shows that 31 genes are conserved between African swine fever virus, pacmanvirus, faustovirus, and kaumoebavirus. Moreover, the major capsid protein locus of pacmanvirus appears to be different from those of kaumoebavirus and faustovirus. Overall, comparative and genomic analyses reveal the emergence of a new group or cluster of viruses encompassing African swine fever virus, faustovirus, pacmanvirus, and kaumoebavirus. IMPORTANCE Pacmanvirus is a newly discovered icosahedral double-stranded DNA virus that was isolated from an environmental sample by amoeba coculture. We describe herein its structure and replicative cycle, along with genomic analysis and genomic comparisons with previously known viruses. This virus represents the third virus, after faustovirus and kaumoebavirus, that is most closely related to classical representatives of the Asfarviridae family. These results highlight the emergence of previously unknown double-stranded DNA viruses which delineate and extend the diversity of a group around the asfarvirus members.

scholarly journals The main DNA viruses significantly affecting pig livestock

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Díaz ◽  
Vladimír Celer ◽  
Ivo Frébort
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Pseudorabies Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Dna Virus ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Porcine Circoviruses

AbstractSwine DNA viruses have developed unique mechanisms for evasion of the host immune system, infection and DNA replication, and finally, construction and release of new viral particles. This article reviews four classes of DNA viruses affecting swine: porcine circoviruses, African swine fever virus, porcine parvoviruses, and pseudorabies virus. Porcine circoviruses belonging to the Circoviridae family are small single-stranded DNA viruses causing different diseases in swine including poly-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome, porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, and porcine respiratory disease complex. African swine fever virus, the only member of the Asfivirus genus in the Asfarviridae family, is a large double-stranded DNA virus and for its propensity to cause high mortality, it is currently considered the most dangerous virus in the pig industry. Porcine parvoviruses are small single-stranded DNA viruses belonging to the Parvoviridae family that cause reproductive failure in pregnant gilts. Pseudorabies virus, or suid herpesvirus 1, is a large double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Herpesviridae family and Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. Recent findings including general as well as genetic classification, virus structure, clinical syndromes and the host immune system responses and vaccine protection are described for all four swine DNA virus classes.

Architecture of African swine fever virus and implications for viral assembly

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 366 (6465) ◽  
pp. 640-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Wang ◽  
Dongming Zhao ◽  
Jialing Wang ◽  
Yangling Zhang ◽  
Ming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Capsid Proteins ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Capsid Shell ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Large Dna Viruses ◽  
Swine Disease ◽  
Capsid Stability

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a giant and complex DNA virus that causes a highly contagious and often lethal swine disease for which no vaccine is available. Using an optimized image reconstruction strategy, we solved the ASFV capsid structure up to 4.1 angstroms, which is built from 17,280 proteins, including one major (p72) and four minor (M1249L, p17, p49, and H240R) capsid proteins organized into pentasymmetrons and trisymmetrons. The atomic structure of the p72 protein informs putative conformational epitopes, distinguishing ASFV from other nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses. The minor capsid proteins form a complicated network below the outer capsid shell, stabilizing the capsid by holding adjacent capsomers together. Acting as core organizers, 100-nanometer-long M1249L proteins run along each edge of the trisymmetrons that bridge two neighboring pentasymmetrons and form extensive intermolecular networks with other capsid proteins, driving the formation of the capsid framework. These structural details unveil the basis of capsid stability and assembly, opening up new avenues for African swine fever vaccine development.

scholarly journals First molecular assessment of the African swine fever virus status of Ornithodoros ticks from Swaziland

2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carin I. Boshoff ◽  
Armanda D.S. Bastos ◽  
Mzwandi M. Dube ◽  
Livio Heath
Keyword(s):  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Virus Genome ◽  
Fever Virus ◽  
Nucleotide Sequencing ◽  
Dna Integrity ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Sylvatic Cycle ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Haemorrhagic Disease

African swine fever (ASF) is an economically significant haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs. It is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)arbovirus. Argasid ticks of the genus Ornithodoros, which are widely distributed throughout southern Africa, play a primary role in virus maintenance and spread within the endemic sylvatic cycle. The ASF status of Swaziland is unknown, but this land-locked country is surrounded by ASF-positive countries, has a burgeoning pig industry and sylvatic cycle hosts present within its borders. In this first assessment of ASF status, warthog burrows in seven nature reserves and game management areas in Swaziland were investigated for tick and virus presence. Tick infestation rates of between 33.3% – 88.8% were recovered for the four Ornithodoros-infested reserves. A total of 562 ticks were screened for virus genome presence using a duplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) that targets the C-terminal end of the p72 gene of the ASFV and confirms DNA integrity through amplification of the 16S rRNA tick host gene. All samples were negative for virus genome presence and positive for the tick genome target. Nucleotide sequencing of the latter confirmed that Ornithodoros ticks from Swaziland are identical to those from the Kruger National Park in South Africa across the gene region characterised. Whilst this first evaluation of ASF presence in Swaziland indicates that the virus does not appear to be present in the key virus vector, the presence of sylvatic cycle hosts, together with the country’s proximity to ASF-affected countries calls for expanded investigations and regular monitoring of the ASF status of Swaziland.

Genetic markers of the African swine fever virus

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (04) ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
A.K. Sibgatullova ◽  
◽  
M.E. Vlasov ◽  
I.A. Titov ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Markers ◽  
African Swine Fever Virus ◽  
African Swine Fever ◽  
Fever Virus
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