scholarly journals Discovery of Four Novel Circular Single-Stranded DNA Viruses in Fungus-Farming Termites

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mason Kerr ◽  
Karyna Rosario ◽  
Christopher C. M. Baker ◽  
Mya Breitbart
Keyword(s):  
Termite Mounds ◽  
Single Stranded Dna ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family

ABSTRACT Here, we describe four novel circular single-stranded DNA viruses discovered in fungus-farming termites ( Odontotermes sp.). The viruses, named termite-associated circular virus 1 (TaCV-1) through TaCV-4, are most similar to members of the family Genomoviridae and were widely detected in African termite mounds.

scholarly journals Lausannevirus Encodes a Functional Dihydrofolate Reductase Susceptible to Proguanil

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mueller ◽  
P. M. Hauser ◽  
F. Gauye ◽  
G. Greub
Keyword(s):  
Dihydrofolate Reductase ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Large Dna Viruses ◽  
First Time ◽  
Reading Frames

ABSTRACT Lausannevirus belongs to the family Marseilleviridae within the group of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs). These giant viruses exhibit unique features, including a large genome, ranging from 100 kb to 2.5 Mb and including from 150 to more than 2,500 genes, as well as the presence of genes coding for proteins involved in transcription and translation. The large majority of Lausannevirus open reading frames have unknown functions. Interestingly, a bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) is encoded in the Lausannevirus genome. The enzyme plays central roles in DNA precursor biosynthesis. DHFR is the pharmacological target of antifolates, such as trimethoprim, pyrimethamine, and proguanil. First, the functionality of Lausannevirus DHFR-TS was demonstrated by the successful complementation of a DHFR-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain with a plasmid expressing the heterologous gene. Additionally, using this heterologous expression system, we demonstrated the in vitro susceptibility of Lausannevirus DHFR-TS to proguanil and its resistance to pyrimethamine and trimethoprim. Proguanil may provide a unique and useful treatment if Lausannevirus proves to be a human pathogen. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a DHFR-TS has been described and characterized in an NCLDV.

scholarly journals Sequences from Ancestral Single-Stranded DNA Viruses in Vertebrate Genomes: the Parvoviridae and Circoviridae Are More than 40 to 50 Million Years Old

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (23) ◽  
pp. 12458-12462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir A. Belyi ◽  
Arnold J. Levine ◽  
Anna Marie Skalka
Keyword(s):  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
High Confidence ◽  
Single Stranded Dna ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
The Family ◽  
High Incidence

ABSTRACT Vertebrate genomic assemblies were analyzed for endogenous sequences related to any known viruses with single-stranded DNA genomes. Numerous high-confidence examples related to the Circoviridae and two genera in the family Parvoviridae, the parvoviruses and dependoviruses, were found and were broadly distributed among 31 of the 49 vertebrate species tested. Our analyses indicate that the ages of both virus families may exceed 40 to 50 million years. Shared features of the replication strategies of these viruses may explain the high incidence of the integrations.

scholarly journals Diversity and Abundance of Single-Stranded DNA Viruses in Human Feces

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (22) ◽  
pp. 8062-8070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min-Soo Kim ◽  
Eun-Jin Park ◽  
Seong Woon Roh ◽  
Jin-Woo Bae
Keyword(s):  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Protein Sequences ◽  
Single Stranded Dna ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Ssdna Viruses ◽  
Virus Abundance ◽  
Large Contigs

ABSTRACTIn this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) viruses in fecal samples from five healthy individuals through a combination of serial filtration and CsCl gradient ultracentrifugation. Virus abundance ranged from 108to 109per gram of feces, and virus-to-bacterium ratios were much lower (less than 0.1) than those observed in aquatic environments (5 to 10). Viral DNA was extracted and randomly amplified using phi29 polymerase and analyzed through high-throughput 454 pyrosequencing. Among 400,133 sequences, an average of 86.2% viromes were previously uncharacterized in public databases. Among previously known viruses, double-stranded DNA podophages (52 to 74%), siphophages (11 to 30%), myophages (1 to 4%), and ssDNA microphages (3 to 9%) were major constituents of human fecal viromes. A phylogenetic analysis of 24 large contigs of microphages based on conserved capsid protein sequences revealed five distinct newly discovered evolutionary microphage groups that were distantly related to previously known microphages. Moreover, putative capsid protein sequences of five contigs were closely related to prophage-like sequences in the genomes of threeBacteroidesand threePrevotellastrains, suggesting thatBacteroidesandPrevotellaare the sources of infecting microphages in their hosts.

scholarly journals Genome Sequences of Two Single-Stranded DNA Viruses Identified in Varroa destructor

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Kraberger ◽  
Gabriel A. Visnovsky ◽  
Ron F. van Toor ◽  
Maketalena F. Male ◽  
Kara Waits ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Genome Sequences ◽  
Single Stranded Dna ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Parasitic Mite

ABSTRACT Varroa destructor is a ubiquitous and parasitic mite of honey bees, infecting them with pathogenic viruses having a major impact on apiculture. We identified two novel circular replication-associated protein (Rep)-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses from V. destructor sampled from a honey bee hive near Christchurch in New Zealand.

scholarly journals Distinct Circular Single-Stranded DNA Viruses Exist in Different Soil Types

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (12) ◽  
pp. 3934-3945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Reavy ◽  
Maud M. Swanson ◽  
Peter J. A. Cock ◽  
Lorna Dawson ◽  
Thomas E. Freitag ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Types ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Single Stranded Dna ◽  
Dna Viruses ◽  
Unique Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Intracellular Parasites ◽  
Ssdna Viruses ◽  
Virus Genomes

ABSTRACTThe potential dependence of virus populations on soil types was examined by electron microscopy, and the total abundance of virus particles in four soil types was similar to that previously observed in soil samples. The four soil types examined differed in the relative abundances of four morphological groups of viruses. Machair, a unique type of coastal soil in western Scotland and Ireland, differed from the others tested in having a higher proportion of tailed bacteriophages. The other soils examined contained predominantly spherical and thin filamentous virus particles, but the Machair soil had a more even distribution of the virus types. As the first step in looking at differences in populations in detail, virus sequences from Machair and brown earth (agricultural pasture) soils were examined by metagenomic sequencing after enriching for circular Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) (CRESS-DNA) virus genomes. Sequences from the familyMicroviridae(icosahedral viruses mainly infecting bacteria) of CRESS-DNA viruses were predominant in both soils. Phylogenetic analysis ofMicroviridaemajor coat protein sequences from the Machair viruses showed that they spanned most of the diversity of the subfamilyGokushovirinae, whose members mainly infect obligate intracellular parasites. The brown earth soil had a higher proportion of sequences that matched the morphologically similar familyCircoviridaein BLAST searches. However, analysis of putative replicase proteins that were similar to those of viruses in theCircoviridaeshowed that they are a novel clade ofCircoviridae-related CRESS-DNA viruses distinct from knownCircoviridaegenera. Different soils have substantially different taxonomic biodiversities even within ssDNA viruses, which may be driven by physicochemical factors.

The effects of goals attainment on CEO-owner satisfaction and the role of family involvement

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-127
Author(s):  
Ondřej Machek ◽  
Jiří Hnilica
Keyword(s):  
Family Involvement ◽  
Family Business ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
Growth Increase ◽  
The Family ◽  
Owner Satisfaction

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how the satisfaction with economic and non-economic goals achievement is related to the overall satisfaction with the business of the CEO-owner, and whether family involvement moderates this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Based on a survey among 323 CEO-owners of family and non-family businesses operating in the Czech Republic, the authors employ the OLS hierarchical regression analysis and test the moderating effects of family involvement on the relationship between the satisfaction with different goals attainment and the overall satisfaction with the business. Findings The main finding is that family and non-family CEO-owner’s satisfaction does not differ significantly when economic goals (profit maximisation, sales growth, increase in market share or firm value) and firm-oriented non-economic goals (satisfaction of employees, corporate reputation) are being achieved; both classes of goals increase the overall satisfaction with the firm and the family involvement does not strengthen this relationship. However, when it comes to external non-economic goals related to the society or environment, there is a significant and positive moderating effect of family involvement. Originality/value The study contributes to the family business literature. First, to date, most of the studies focused on family business goals have been qualitative, thus not allowing for generalisation of findings. Second, there is a lack of evidence on the ways in which family firms integrate their financial and non-financial goals. Third, the authors contribute to the literature on the determinants of personal satisfaction with the business for CEOs, which has been the focus on a relatively scarce number of studies.

scholarly journals Draft Genome Sequences of Three Flavobacterium psychrophilum Strains Isolated from Diseased Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis) Caught at Three Sites in the Kagami River in Kochi, Japan

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (34) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazuki Yamashita ◽  
Takayuki Wada ◽  
Yusuke Kato ◽  
Takuji Ikeda ◽  
Masayuki Imajoh
Keyword(s):  
Draft Genome ◽  
Psychrophilic Bacterium ◽  
Genome Sequences ◽  
Plecoglossus Altivelis ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flavobacterium Psychrophilum ◽  
Skin Ulcers ◽  
The Family

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is a Gram-negative, psychrophilic bacterium within the family Flavobacteriaceae. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three F. psychrophilum strains isolated from skin ulcers of diseased ayu caught by tomozuri angling at three sites in the Kagami River in Japan.

Family dynamics and gender perspective influencing copreneurship practices

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mário Franco ◽  
Patricia Piceti
Keyword(s):  
Gender Roles ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Family Dynamics ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Gender

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the family dynamics factors and gender roles influencing the functioning of copreneurial business practices, to propose a conceptual framework based on these factors/roles. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, a qualitative approach was adopted, through the analysis of seven businesses created by copreneurial couples in an emerging economy – Brazil. Data were obtained from an open interview with each member of the selected couples who are in charge of firm management. Findings The empirical evidence obtained shows that the most important factors for successful copreneurial family businesses are professionalization, dividing the couple’s tasks and business management. Trust, communication, flexibility and common goals are other essential relational-based factors for the good functioning of this type of family business and stability in the personal relationship. Practical implications It is clear that professionalization and the separation of positions and functions are fundamental for a balance between business management and the couple’s marital life. When couples are in harmony and considering factors such as trust, communication and flexibility (relational-based factors), the firm’s life-cycle and business success become real and more effective. Originality/value From the family dynamics factors and gender roles, this study focused on one of the most important and integrated family firm relationships, copreneurial couples. As there is little research on the heterogeneity of family firms runs specifically by copreneurial couples, this study is particularly important and innovative in the context of a developing economy, such as Brazil. Based on empirical evidence, this study was proposed an integrative and holistic framework that shows the functioning of copreneurial businesses practices.

“We are a family firm”

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Binz Astrachan ◽  
Isabel C. Botero
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Building ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
The Family ◽  
Family Associations

Purpose Evidence suggests that some stakeholders perceive family firms as more trustworthy, responsible, and customer-oriented than public companies. To capitalize on these positive perceptions, owning families can use references about their family nature in their organizational branding and marketing efforts. However, not all family firms actively communicate their family business brand. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to investigate why family firms decide to promote their “family business brand” in their communication efforts toward different stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected using an in-depth interview approach from 11 Swiss and German family business owners. Interviews were transcribed and coded to identify different themes that help explain the different motives and constraints that drive their decisions to promote the “family business brand.” Findings The analyses indicate that promoting family associations in branding efforts is driven by both identity-related (i.e. pride, identification) and outcome-related (e.g. reputational advantages) motives. However, there are several constraints that may negatively affect the promotion of the family business brand in corporate communication efforts. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to explore why family businesses decide to communicate their “family business brand.” Building on the findings, the authors present a conceptual framework identifying the antecedents and possible consequences of promoting a family firm brand. This framework can help researchers and practitioners better understand how the family business nature of the brand can influence decisions about the company’s branding and marketing practices.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document