Virophage: The hijacker of my hijacker is my friend

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 179-185
Author(s):  
Viol Dhea Kharisma ◽  
Yoga Dwi Jatmiko ◽  
Arif Nur Muhammad Ansori ◽  
Adhityo Wicaksono ◽  
Irfan Mustafa
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Host Cell ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Giant Virus ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Viral Factory

The discovery of virophage carries along the proof of existence of a new bio controlling agent in the entire biosystem. The virophage is a parasite to a giant virus and works by hijacking “the giant virus” viral factory, an essential machinery for the giant virus’s replication, leading to a sharp incline of the virophage viral load inside the host cell. Success of the host cell survival against the invading giant virus is shown by the decline of the destroyed cell during lytic stage after virophage co-infection to the giant virus. Virophage has a similar role to the bacteriophage but instead of targeting a bacterium, it targets specifically on virus. Hitherto, the existence of human-borne virophage and interactions of virophage to human microbiome remain elusive, thus future studies are required. This short review will highlight the discovery, types and recent known method of virophage replication. We also added some biological perspectives of the connections and interactions between the virophage and its host to exploit the virophage main role as a biocontrolling agent to pathogenic viruses that are potentially benevolent for human life.

Mesophyll conductance: the leaf corridors for photosynthesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Gago ◽  
Danilo M. Daloso ◽  
Marc Carriquí ◽  
Miquel Nadal ◽  
Melanie Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Mesophyll Conductance ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cell Structures ◽  
Leaf Tissues ◽  
Change Framework ◽  
Chloroplast Stroma

Besides stomata, the photosynthetic CO2 pathway also involves the transport of CO2 from the sub-stomatal air spaces inside to the carboxylation sites in the chloroplast stroma, where Rubisco is located. This pathway is far to be a simple and direct way, formed by series of consecutive barriers that the CO2 should cross to be finally assimilated in photosynthesis, known as the mesophyll conductance (gm). Therefore, the gm reflects the pathway through different air, water and biophysical barriers within the leaf tissues and cell structures. Currently, it is known that gm can impose the same level of limitation (or even higher depending of the conditions) to photosynthesis than the wider known stomata or biochemistry. In this mini-review, we are focused on each of the gm determinants to summarize the current knowledge on the mechanisms driving gm from anatomical to metabolic and biochemical perspectives. Special attention deserve the latest studies demonstrating the importance of the molecular mechanisms driving anatomical traits as cell wall and the chloroplast surface exposed to the mesophyll airspaces (Sc/S) that significantly constrain gm. However, even considering these recent discoveries, still is poorly understood the mechanisms about signaling pathways linking the environment a/biotic stressors with gm responses. Thus, considering the main role of gm as a major driver of the CO2 availability at the carboxylation sites, future studies into these aspects will help us to understand photosynthesis responses in a global change framework.

scholarly journals Host Cell Restriction Factors of Bunyaviruses and Viral Countermeasures

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 784
Author(s):  
Solène Lerolle ◽  
Natalia Freitas ◽  
François-Loïc Cosset ◽  
Vincent Legros
Keyword(s):  
Host Cell ◽  
Viral Entry ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Restriction Factors ◽  
Antiviral State ◽  
Cellular Factors ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Genome Transcription ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Molecular Patterns

The Bunyavirales order comprises more than 500 viruses (generally defined as bunyaviruses) classified into 12 families. Some of these are highly pathogenic viruses infecting different hosts, including humans, mammals, reptiles, arthropods, birds, and/or plants. Host cell sensing of infection activates the innate immune system that aims at inhibiting viral replication and propagation. Upon recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by cellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), numerous signaling cascades are activated, leading to the production of interferons (IFNs). IFNs act in an autocrine and paracrine manner to establish an antiviral state by inducing the expression of hundreds of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Some of these ISGs are known to restrict bunyavirus infection. Along with other constitutively expressed host cellular factors with antiviral activity, these proteins (hereafter referred to as “restriction factors”) target different steps of the viral cycle, including viral entry, genome transcription and replication, and virion egress. In reaction to this, bunyaviruses have developed strategies to circumvent this antiviral response, by avoiding cellular recognition of PAMPs, inhibiting IFN production or interfering with the IFN-mediated response. Herein, we review the current knowledge on host cellular factors that were shown to restrict infections by bunyaviruses. Moreover, we focus on the strategies developed by bunyaviruses in order to escape the antiviral state developed by the infected cells.

scholarly journals Methods of Respiratory Virus Detection: Advances towards Point-of-Care for Early Intervention

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 697
Author(s):  
Siming Lu ◽  
Sha Lin ◽  
Hongrui Zhang ◽  
Liguo Liang ◽  
Shien Shen
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Respiratory Virus ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Virus Detection ◽  
Frequent Monitoring ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
New Strategies

Respiratory viral infections threaten human life and inflict an enormous healthcare burden worldwide. Frequent monitoring of viral antibodies and viral load can effectively help to control the spread of the virus and make timely interventions. However, current methods for detecting viral load require dedicated personnel and are time-consuming. Additionally, COVID-19 detection is generally relied on an automated PCR analyzer, which is highly instrument-dependent and expensive. As such, emerging technologies in the development of respiratory viral load assays for point-of-care (POC) testing are urgently needed for viral screening. Recent advances in loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), biosensors, nanotechnology-based paper strips and microfluidics offer new strategies to develop a rapid, low-cost, and user-friendly respiratory viral monitoring platform. In this review, we summarized the traditional methods in respiratory virus detection and present the state-of-art technologies in the monitoring of respiratory virus at POC.

scholarly journals The Human Microbiome, Conventional Medicine, and Homeopathy

Homeopathy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 109 (04) ◽  
pp. 248-255
Author(s):  
Ronald D. Whitmont
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
Immune Dysfunction ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Medical Treatments ◽  
Ecologically Sustainable

AbstractHuman health is intimately linked to the ecology and diversity of the human microbiome. Together, the human organism and the human microbiome work as a complex super-organism throughout the human life cycle. Microbiome science provides direct evidence and substantiation of the fundamental principles of homeopathy, including holism, psychosomatics, direction of cure, the Law of Similars, individuality and susceptibility, minimum dose, and homeostasis. Whilst many conventional (allopathic) medical treatments irreversibly damage the ecology of the microbiome and trigger chronic immune dysfunction and inflammation, the future sustainability of the entire field of medicine depends on the ability to recognize these inconvenient biological truths and to embrace a safer approach based on this evidence. Fortunately, one of the oldest forms of clinically verifiable, evidence-based, and ecologically sustainable medicine, that does not harm the microbiome, already exists in the form of homeopathy.

scholarly journals A virophage cross-species infection through mutant selection represses giant virus propagation, promoting host cell survival

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Said Mougari ◽  
Nisrine Chelkha ◽  
Dehia Sahmi-Bounsiar ◽  
Fabrizio Di Pinto ◽  
Philippe Colson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Survival ◽  
Host Cell ◽  
Giant Virus ◽  
Virus Propagation ◽  
Mutant Selection

Novel Drugs Targeting the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Machinery

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 1423-1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane Sternberg ◽  
Dwight L. McKee ◽  
Cord Naujokat
Keyword(s):  
Host Cell ◽  
Protein Processing ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Novel Drugs ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Repurposed Drugs ◽  
Host Cell Entry

Like other human pathogenic viruses, coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 employs sophisticated macromolecular machines for viral host cell entry, genome replication and protein processing. Such machinery encompasses SARS-CoV-2 envelope spike (S) glycoprotein required for host cell entry by binding to the ACE2 receptor, viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and 3-chymotrypsin-like main protease (3Clpro/Mpro). Under the pressure of the accelerating COVID-19 pandemic caused by the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China in December 2019, novel and repurposed drugs were recently designed and identified for targeting the SARS-CoV-2 reproduction machinery, with the aim to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and morbidity and mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Negative-sense RNA viruses: An underexplored platform for examining virus–host lipid interactions

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (20) ◽  
pp. pe1
Author(s):  
Monica L. Husby ◽  
Robert V. Stahelin
Keyword(s):  
Host Cell ◽  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Membrane Biology ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Range Of Functions ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Pathogenic Agents ◽  
Negative Sense

Viruses are pathogenic agents that can infect all varieties of organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. These microscopic particles are genetically simple as they encode a limited number of proteins that undertake a wide range of functions. While structurally distinct, viruses often share common characteristics that have evolved to aid in their infectious life cycles. A commonly underappreciated characteristic of many deadly viruses is a lipid envelope that surrounds their protein and genetic contents. Notably, the lipid envelope is formed from the host cell the virus infects. Lipid-enveloped viruses comprise a diverse range of pathogenic viruses, which often lead to high fatality rates and many lack effective therapeutics and/or vaccines. This perspective primarily focuses on the negative-sense RNA viruses from the order Mononegavirales, which obtain their lipid envelope from the host plasma membrane. Specifically, the perspective highlights the common themes of host cell lipid and membrane biology necessary for virus replication, assembly, and budding.

scholarly journals SB4ER: an ELIXIR Service Bundle for Epidemic Response

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
CASTRENSE SAVOJARDO ◽  
Pier Luigi Martelli ◽  
Giulia Babbi ◽  
Marco Anteghini ◽  
Matteo Manfredi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Epidemic Spread ◽  
Frequent Event ◽  
Pathogenic Viruses ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
The One ◽  
Epidemic Response

Epidemic spread of new pathogens is quite a frequent event that affects not only humans but also animals and plants, and specifically livestock and crops. In the last few years, many novel pathogenic viruses have threatened human life. Some were mutations of the traditional influenza viruses, and some were viruses that crossed the animal-human divide.In both cases, when a novel virus or bacterial strain for which there is no pre-existing immunity or a vaccine released, there is the possibility of an epidemic or even a pandemic event, as the one we are experiencing today with COVID-19.In this context, we defined an ELIXIR Service Bundle for Epidemic Response: a set of tools and workflows to facilitate and speed up the study of new pathogens, viruses or bacteria. The final goal of the bundle is to provide tools and resources to collect and analyse data on new pathogens (bacteria and viruses) and their relation to hosts (humans, animals, plants).

scholarly journals Multiple mechanisms in which agricultural insects respond to environmental stressors: canalization, plasticity and evolution

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-99
Author(s):  
Yeisson Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Environmental Stressors ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Ecological Functions ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Manipulative Experiments ◽  
Insect Biology ◽  
Insect Decline

Insects are a paramount component of biodiversity in terms of taxonomic richness, ecological functions and ecosystem services. However, many human activities have negative consequences on such organisms, causing changes in their morphology, physiology, behaviour, and even causing mass deaths leading to the well-recognized insect decline phenomenon. Although the effects of some environmental stressors (e.g. global warming and pesticides) on insect biology are fairly well understood, there is a plethora of stressors that that have only recently been considered. Additionally, although the exposure to multiple stressors is a common scenario in natural conditions, our knowledge on insect responses in this regard is still incipient. Knowledge that is in much need to inform policy makers in the fight against global change. Here, a short review on prominent environmental stressors, and the known responses that insects may exhibit, which are summarized as canalization, plasticity and evolution is provided. Furthermore, an outlook and recommendation for future studies aiming to elucidate the effects of environmental stressors (both lone and mixed) on insect biology is given. This manuscript advocates for controlled (lab or semi-field) manipulative experiments that implement realistic environmental conditions and that ideally combine several stressors.

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