scholarly journals Isolation of Baculoviruses with Expanded Spectrum of Action against Lepidopteran Pests

Author(s):  
Nor Chejanovsky ◽  
Suzanne M. Thiem

Our long-term goal is to learn to control (expand and restrict) the host range of baculoviruses. In this project our aim was to expand the host range of the prototype baculovirus Autographa cali/arnica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) towards American and Israeli pests. To achieve this objective we studied AcMNPV infection in the non-permissive hosts L. dispar and s. littoralis (Ld652Y and SL2 cells, respectively) as a model system and the major barriers to viral replication. We isolated recombinant baculoviruses with expanded infectivity towards L. dispar and S. littoralis and tested their infectivity towards other Lepidopteran pests. The restricted host range displayed by baculoviruses constitutes an obstacle to their further implementation in the control of diverse Lepidopteran pests, increasing the development costs. Our work points out that cellular defenses are major role blocks to AcMNPV replication in non- and semi-permissive hosts. Therefore a major determinant ofbaculovirus host range is the ability of the virus to effectively counter cellular defenses of host cells. This is exemplified by our findings showing tliat expressing the viral gene Ldhrf-l overcomes global translation arrest in AcMNPV -infected Ld652Y cells. Our data suggests that Ld652Y cells have two anti-viral defense pathways, because they are subject to global translation arrest when infected with AcMNPV carrying a baculovirus apoptotic suppressor (e.g., wild type AcMNPV carryingp35, or recombinant AcMNPV carrying Opiap, Cpiap. or p49 genes) but apoptose when infected with AcMNPV-Iacking a functional apoptotic suppressor. We have yet to elucidate how hrf-l precludes the translation arrest mechanism(s) in AcMNPV-infected Ld652Y cells. Ribosomal profiles of AcMNPV infected Ld652Y cells suggested that translation initiation is a major control point, but we were unable to rule-out a contribution from a block in translation elongation. Phosphorylation of eIF-2a did not appear to playa role in AcMNPV -induced translation arrest. Mutagenesis studies ofhrf-l suggest that a highly acidic domain plays a role in precluding translation arrest. Our findings indicate that translation arrest may be linked to apoptosis either through common sensors of virus infection or as a consequence of late events in the virus life-cycle that occur only if apoptosis is suppressed. ~ AcMNPV replicates poorly in SL2 cells and induces apoptosis. Our studies in AcMNPV - infected SL2ceils led us to conclude that the steady-state levels of lEI (product of the iel gene, major AcMNPV -transactivator and multifunctional protein) relative to those of the immediate early viral protein lEO, playa critical role in regulating the viral infection. By increasing the IEl\IEO ratio we achieved AcMNPV replication in S. littoralis and we were able to isolate recombinant AcMNPV s that replicated efficiently in S. lifforalis cells and larvae. Our data that indicated that AcMNPV - infection may be regulated by an interaction between IE 1 and lED (of previously unknown function). Indeed, we showed that IE 1 associates with lED by using protein "pull down" and immunoprecipitation approaches High steady state levels of "functional" IE 1 resulted in increased expression of the apoptosis suppressor p35 facilitating AcMNPV -replication in SL2 cells. Finally, we determined that lED accelerates the viral infection in AcMNPV -permissive cells. Our results show that expressing viral genes that are able to overcome the insect-pest defense system enable to expand baculovirus host range. Scientifically, this project highlights the need to further study the anti-viral defenses of invertebrates not only to maximi~e the possibilities for manipulating baculovirus genomes, but to better understand the evolutionary underpinnings of the immune systems of vertebrates towards virus infection.

1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 4758-4762
Author(s):  
R Y To ◽  
S C Booth ◽  
P E Neiman

We tested the effect of anti-sense RNA on the replication of avian retroviruses in cultured cells. The replication of a recombinant retrovirus carrying a neomycin resistance gene (neor) in the anti-sense orientation was blocked when the cells expressed high steady-state levels of RNA molecules with neor in sequence in the sense was blocked when the cells expressed high steady-state levels of RNA molecules with neor sequences in the sense orientation, i.e., complementary to the viral sequence. Viral DNA bearing neor sequences was not detected specifically in host cells where this anti-sense RNA inhibition of viral replication occurred. These observations suggest that anti-sense RNA inhibition may be a useful strategy for the inhibition of retroviral infections.


Author(s):  
Marta De Angelis ◽  
Donatella Amatore ◽  
Paola Checconi ◽  
Alessandra Zevini ◽  
Alessandra Fraternale ◽  
...  

Influenza virus infection induces oxidative stress in host cells by decreasing the intracellular content of glutathione (GSH) and increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is responsible for the production of reducing equivalents of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) that is used to regenerate the reduced form of GSH, thus restoring redox homeostasis. Cells deficient in G6PD display elevated levels of ROS and an increased susceptibility to viral infection, although the consequences of G6PD modulation during viral infection remain to be elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that influenza virus infection decreases G6PD expression and activity, resulting in an increase in oxidative stress and virus replication. Moreover, the down regulation of G6PD correlated with a decrease in the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a key transcription factor that regulates the expression of the antioxidant response gene network. Also down-regulated in influenza virus infected cells was sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), a NADPH-dependent deacetylase involved in the regulation of G6PD activity. Acetylation of G6PD increased during influenza virus infection in a manner that was strictly dependent on SIRT2 expression. Furthermore, the use of a pharmacological activator of SIRT2 rescued GSH production and NRF2 expression, leading to decreased influenza virus replication. Overall, these data identify a novel strategy used by influenza virus to induce oxidative stress and to favor its replication in host cells. These observations furthermore suggest that manipulation of metabolic and oxidative stress pathways could define new therapeutic strategies to interfere with influenza virus infection.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 4758-4762 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Y To ◽  
S C Booth ◽  
P E Neiman

We tested the effect of anti-sense RNA on the replication of avian retroviruses in cultured cells. The replication of a recombinant retrovirus carrying a neomycin resistance gene (neor) in the anti-sense orientation was blocked when the cells expressed high steady-state levels of RNA molecules with neor in sequence in the sense was blocked when the cells expressed high steady-state levels of RNA molecules with neor sequences in the sense orientation, i.e., complementary to the viral sequence. Viral DNA bearing neor sequences was not detected specifically in host cells where this anti-sense RNA inhibition of viral replication occurred. These observations suggest that anti-sense RNA inhibition may be a useful strategy for the inhibition of retroviral infections.


Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Li

Ribosomal proteins (RPs), in conjunction with rRNA, are major components of ribosomes involved in the cellular process of protein biosynthesis, known as “translation”. The viruses, as the small infectious pathogens with limited genomes, must recruit a variety of host factors to survive and propagate, including RPs. At present, more and more information is available on the functional relationship between RPs and virus infection. This review focuses on advancements in my own understanding of critical roles of RPs in the life cycle of viruses. Various RPs interact with viral mRNA and proteins to participate in viral protein biosynthesis and regulate the replication and infection of virus in host cells. Most interactions are essential for viral translation and replication, which promote viral infection and accumulation, whereas the minority represents the defense signaling of host cells by activating immune pathway against virus. RPs provide a new platform for antiviral therapy development, however, at present, antiviral therapeutics with RPs involving in virus infection as targets is limited, and exploring antiviral strategy based on RPs will be the guides for further study.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (17) ◽  
pp. 9639-9651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boriana Marintcheva ◽  
Sandra K. Weller

ABSTRACT UL9 is a multifunctional protein required for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication in vivo. UL9 is a member of the superfamily II helicases and exhibits helicase and origin-binding activities. We have previously shown that mutations in the conserved helicase motifs of UL9 can have either a transdominant or potentiating effect on the plaque-forming ability of infectious DNA from wild-type virus (A. J. Malik and S. K. Weller, J. Virol. 70:7859-7866, 1996). In this paper, the mechanisms of transdominance and potentiation are explored. We show that the motif V mutant protein containing a G to A substitution at residue 354 is unstable when expressed by transfection and is either processed to a 38-kDa N-terminal fragment or degraded completely. The overexpression of the MV mutant protein is able to influence the steady-state protein levels of wild-type UL9 and to override the inhibitory effects of wild-type UL9. Potentiation correlates with the ability of the UL9 variants containing the G354A mutation to be processed or degraded to the 38-kDa form. We propose that the MV mutant protein is able to interact with full-length UL9 and that this interaction results in a decrease in the steady-state levels of UL9, which in turn leads to enhanced viral infection. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of HSV-1 infection can be obtained by overexpression of full-length UL9, the C-terminal third of the protein containing the origin-binding domain, or the N-terminal two-thirds of UL9 containing the conserved helicase motifs and the putative dimerization domain. Our results suggest that transdominance can be mediated by overexpression, origin-binding activity, and dimerization, whereas potentiation is most likely caused by the ability of the UL9 MV mutant to influence the steady-state levels of wild-type UL9. Taken together, the results presented in this paper suggest that the regulation of steady-state levels of UL9 may play an important role in controlling viral infection.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Lafon-Hughes

BACKGROUND It is common knowledge that vaccination has improved our life quality and expectancy since it succeeded in achieving almost eradication of several diseases including chickenpox (varicella), diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, measles, meningococcal, mumps, pneumococcal, polio, rotavirus, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis) Vaccination success is based on vaccine induction of neutralizing antibodies that help fight the infection (e.g. by a virus), preventing the disease. Conversely, Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of a viral infection occurs when anti-viral antibodies facilitate viral entry into host cells and enhance viral infection in these cells. ADE has been previously studied in Dengue and HIV viruses and explains why a second infection with Dengue can be lethal. As already reviewed in Part I and Part II, SARS-Cov-2 shares with HIV not only 4 sequences in the Spike protein but also the capacity to attack the immune system. OBJECTIVE As HIV presents ADE, we wondered whether this was also the case regarding SARS-CoV-2. METHODS A literature review was done through Google. RESULTS SARS-CoV-2 presents ADE. As SARS, which does not have the 4 HIV-like inserts, has the same property, ADE would not be driven by the HIV-like spike sequences. CONCLUSIONS ADE can explain the failure of herd immunity-based strategies and will also probably hamper anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development. As reviewed in Part I, there fortunately are promising therapeutic strategies for COVID-19, which should be further developed. In the meantime, complementary countermeasures to protect mainly the youth from this infection are presented to be discussed in Part V Viewpoint.


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