Ongoing Assessment of the Molecular Evolution of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus Continues to Question Viral Origins

Understanding the evolution of viral pathogens is critical to being able to define how viruses emerge within different landscapes. Host susceptibility, which is spread between different species and is a contributing factor to the subsequent epidemiology of a disease, is defined by virus detection and subsequent characterization. Peste des petits ruminants virus is a plague of small ruminant species that is a considerable burden to the development of sustainable agriculture across Africa and much of Asia. The virus has also had a significant impact on populations of endangered species in recent years, highlighting its significance as a pathogen of high concern across different regions of the globe. Here, we have re-evaluated the molecular evolution of this virus using novel genetic data to try and further resolve the molecular epidemiology of this disease. Viral isolates are genetically characterized into four lineages (I−IV), and the historic origin of these lineages is of considerable interest to the molecular evolution of the virus. Our re-evaluation of viral emergence using novel genome sequences has demonstrated that lineages I, II and IV likely originated in West Africa, in Senegal (I) and Nigeria (II and IV). Lineage III sequences predicted emergence in either East Africa (Ethiopia) or in the Arabian Peninsula (Oman and/or the United Arab Emirates), with a paucity of data precluding a more refined interpretation. Continual refinements of evolutionary emergence, following the generation of new data, is key to both understanding viral evolution from a historic perspective and informing on the ongoing genetic emergence of this virus.

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Review of Peste des Petits Ruminants Occurrence and Spread in Tanzania

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11061698 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1698

Author(s):

Daniel Pius Mdetele ◽

Erick Komba ◽

Misago Dimson Seth ◽

Gerald Misinzo ◽

Richard Kock ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Economic Impact ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Small Ruminants ◽

Peste Des Petits Ruminants ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Eradication Programme ◽

Sheep And Goats ◽

Ruminant Species ◽

Socio Economic Impact

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an important transboundary animal disease of domestic small ruminants, camels, and wild artiodactyls. The disease has significant socio-economic impact on communities that depend on livestock for their livelihood and is a threat to endangered susceptible wild species. The aim of this review was to describe the introduction of PPR to Tanzania and its subsequent spread to different parts of the country. On-line databases were searched for peer-reviewed and grey literature, formal and informal reports were obtained from Tanzanian Zonal Veterinary Investigation Centres and Laboratories, and Veterinary Officers involved with PPR surveillance were contacted. PPR virus (PPRV) was confirmed in northern Tanzania in 2008, although serological data from samples collected in the region in 1998 and 2004, and evidence that the virus was already circulating in Uganda in 2003, suggests that PPRV might have been present earlier than this. It is likely that the virus which became established in Tanzania was introduced from Kenya between 2006–7 through the cross-border movement of small ruminants for trade or grazing resources, and then spread to eastern, central, and southern Tanzania from 2008 to 2010 through movement of small ruminants by pastoralists and traders. There was no evidence of PPRV sero-conversion in wildlife based on sera collected up to 2012, suggesting that they did not play a vectoring or bridging role in the establishment of PPRV in Tanzania. PPRV lineages II, III and IV have been detected, indicating that there have been several virus introductions. PPRV is now considered to be endemic in sheep and goats in Tanzania, but there has been no evidence of PPR clinical disease in wildlife species in Tanzania, although serum samples collected in 2014 from several wild ruminant species were PPRV sero-positive. Similarly, no PPR disease has been observed in cattle and camels. In these atypical hosts, serological evidence indicates exposure to PPRV infection, most likely through spillover from infected sheep and goats. Some of the challenges for PPRV eradication in Tanzania include movements of small ruminants, including transboundary movements, and the capacity of veterinary services for disease surveillance and vaccination. Using wildlife and atypical domestic hosts for PPR surveillance is a useful indicator of endemism and the ongoing circulation of PPRV in livestock, especially during the implementation of vaccination to control or eliminate the disease in sheep and goats. PPR disease has a major socio-economic impact in Tanzania, which justifies the investment in a comprehensive PPRV eradication programme.

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An Investigation into the Risk of Construction Projects Delays in the UAE

Banking, Finance, and Accounting ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-6268-1.ch053 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 962-977

Author(s):

Omayma Motaleb ◽

Mohammed Kishk

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

Construction Projects ◽

Success Factors ◽

Project Managers ◽

Project Delivery ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

Construction Companies ◽

High Concern ◽

Potential Factors ◽

Major Criticism

The growing rate of delays in project delivery is considered a major criticism of the construction companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This paper aims to investigate the causes and effects behind the delays pertaining to delivery of construction projects in the UAE. The study is exploratory in nature, and incorporates a pilot questionnaire survey and interviews. An extensive literature review indicates potential factors that have possible effects on construction completion delay. The questionnaire forms were sent to 50 construction companies. Thirty-five (70%) completed responses were received. Analysis of the survey data has revealed that about 42 potential causes and effects of delay relate to various groups of stakeholders. The results show the top fifteen factors relate to clients, project managers and finance aspects. It was found that cost and time overruns are the most significant effects. These results are in partial agreement with previous studies. The paper argues that the key determinant in ensuring project control is on-time project delivery. The results of the study can provide moderate support for a suggested hypothesis, through a framework of project success factors. It should be of high concern to knowledge managers in various roles and decision-makers.

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Viral evolution and the emergence of SARS coronavirus

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2004.1478 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 359 (1447) ◽

pp. 1059-1065 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

Edward C. Holmes ◽

Andrew Rambaut

Keyword(s):

Genetic Factors ◽

Rna Viruses ◽

Viral Evolution ◽

Emerging Diseases ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Emerging Viruses ◽

New Host ◽

Viral Emergence ◽

Mechanistic Basis ◽

New Host Species

The recent appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS–CoV) highlights the continual threat to human health posed by emerging viruses. However, the central processes in the evolution of emerging viruses are unclear, particularly the selection pressures faced by viruses in new host species. We outline some of the key evolutionary genetic aspects of viral emergence. We emphasize that, although the high mutation rates of RNA viruses provide them with great adaptability and explain why they are the main cause of emerging diseases, their limited genome size means that they are also subject to major evolutionary constraints. Understanding the mechanistic basis of these constraints, particularly the roles played by epistasis and pleiotropy, is likely to be central in explaining why some RNA viruses are more able than others to cross species boundaries. Viral genetic factors have also been implicated in the emergence of SARS–CoV, with the suggestion that this virus is a recombinant between mammalian and avian coronaviruses. We show, however, that the phylogenetic patterns cited as evidence for recombination are more probably caused by a variation in substitution rate among lineages and that recombination is unlikely to explain the appearance of SARS in humans.

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Differentiation of Antibodies against Selected Simbu Serogroup Viruses by a Glycoprotein Gc-Based Triplex ELISA

Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.3390/vetsci8010012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 12

Author(s):

Kerstin Wernike ◽

Andrea Aebischer ◽

Franziska Sick ◽

Kevin P. Szillat ◽

Martin Beer

Keyword(s):

Virus Detection ◽

Test System ◽

Cross Reactivity ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Serological Screening ◽

Additional Tool ◽

Simbu Serogroup ◽

Ruminant Species ◽

Outbreak Investigations ◽

Superior Approach

The Simbu serogroup of orthobunyaviruses includes several pathogens of veterinary importance, among them Schmallenberg virus (SBV), Akabane virus (AKAV) and Shuni virus (SHUV). They infect predominantly ruminants and induce severe congenital malformation. In adult animals, the intra vitam diagnostics by direct virus detection is limited to only a few days due to a short-lived viremia. For surveillance purposes the testing for specific antibodies is a superior approach. However, the serological differentiation is hampered by a considerable extent of cross-reactivity, as viruses were assigned into this serogroup based on antigenic relatedness. Here, we established a glycoprotein Gc-based triplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection and differentiation of antibodies against SBV, AKAV, and SHUV. A total of 477 negative samples of various ruminant species, 238 samples positive for SBV-antibodies, 36 positive for AKAV-antibodies and 53 SHUV antibody-positive samples were tested in comparison to neutralization tests. For the newly developed ELISA, overall diagnostic specificities of 84.56%, 94.68% and 89.39% and sensitivities of 89.08%, 69.44% and 84.91% were calculated for SBV, AKAV and SHUV, respectively, with only slight effects of serological cross-reactivity on the diagnostic specificity. Thus, this test system could be used for serological screening in suspected populations or as additional tool during outbreak investigations.

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Complete Genome Sequencing of Field Isolates of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus from Tanzania Revealed a High Nucleotide Identity with Lineage III PPR Viruses

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11102976 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2976

Author(s):

Edson Kinimi ◽

Mana Mahapatra ◽

Tebogo Kgotlele ◽

Mariam R. Makange ◽

Chandana Tennakoon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Viral Evolution ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Nucleotide Identity ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Depth Information ◽

Peste Des Petits Ruminants ◽

Sequencing Technology ◽

Oxford Nanopore ◽

Complete Genomes

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) causes a highly devastating disease of sheep and goats that threatens food security, small ruminant production and susceptible endangered wild ruminants. With policy directed towards achieving global PPR eradication, the establishment of cost-effective genomic surveillance tools is critical where PPR is endemic. Genomic data can provide sufficient in-depth information to identify the pockets of endemicity responsible for PPRV persistence and viral evolution, and direct an appropriate vaccination response. Yet, access to the required sequencing technology is low in resource-limited settings and is compounded by the difficulty of transporting clinical samples from wildlife across international borders due to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora, and Nagoya Protocol regulations. Oxford nanopore MinION sequencing technology has recently demonstrated an extraordinary performance in the sequencing of PPRV due to its rapidity, utility in endemic countries and comparatively low cost per sample when compared to other whole-genome (WGS) sequencing platforms. In the present study, Oxford nanopore MinION sequencing was utilised to generate complete genomes of PPRV isolates collected from infected goats in Ngorongoro and Momba districts in the northern and southern highlands of Tanzania during 2016 and 2018, respectively. The tiling multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out with twenty-five pairs of long-read primers. The resulting PCR amplicons were used for nanopore library preparation and sequencing. The analysis of output data was complete genomes of PPRV, produced within four hours of sequencing (accession numbers: MW960272 and MZ322753). Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genomes revealed a high nucleotide identity, between 96.19 and 99.24% with lineage III PPRV currently circulating in East Africa, indicating a common origin. The Oxford nanopore MinION sequencer can be deployed to overcome diagnostic and surveillance challenges in the PPR Global Control and Eradication program. However, the coverage depth was uneven across the genome and amplicon dropout was observed mainly in the GC-rich region between the matrix (M) and fusion (F) genes of PPRV. Thus, larger field studies are needed to allow the collection of sufficient data to assess the robustness of nanopore sequencing technology.

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Non-conservation of folding rates in the thioredoxin family reveals degradation of ancestral unassisted-folding

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bcj20190739 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 476 (23) ◽

pp. 3631-3647 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gloria Gamiz-Arco ◽

Valeria A. Risso ◽

Adela M. Candel ◽

Alvaro Inglés-Prieto ◽

Maria L. Romero-Romero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Evolution ◽

Recent Literature ◽

Morphological Evolution ◽

Folding Rates ◽

Evolutionarily Conserved ◽

Evolutionary Emergence ◽

The Impact

Evolution involves not only adaptation, but also the degradation of superfluous features. Many examples of degradation at the morphological level are known (vestigial organs, for instance). However, the impact of degradation on molecular evolution has been rarely addressed. Thioredoxins serve as general oxidoreductases in all cells. Here, we report extensive mutational analyses on the folding of modern and resurrected ancestral bacterial thioredoxins. Contrary to claims from recent literature, in vitro folding rates in the thioredoxin family are not evolutionarily conserved, but span at least a ∼100-fold range. Furthermore, modern thioredoxin folding is often substantially slower than ancestral thioredoxin folding. Unassisted folding, as probed in vitro, thus emerges as an ancestral vestigial feature that underwent degradation, plausibly upon the evolutionary emergence of efficient cellular folding assistance. More generally, our results provide evidence that degradation of ancestral features shapes, not only morphological evolution, but also the evolution of individual proteins.

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Molecular evolution of genes encoding ribonucleases in ruminant species

Journal of Molecular Evolution ◽

10.1007/bf00173164 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

E. Confalone ◽

J.J. Beintema ◽

M.P. Sasso ◽

A. Carsana ◽

M. Palmieri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Evolution ◽

Ruminant Species ◽

Genes Encoding

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An Investigation into the Risk of Construction Projects Delays in the UAE

International Journal of Information Technology Project Management ◽

10.4018/jitpm.2013070104 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 50-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Omayma Motaleb ◽

Mohammed Kishk

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

Construction Projects ◽

Success Factors ◽

Project Managers ◽

Project Delivery ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

Construction Companies ◽

High Concern ◽

Potential Factors ◽

Major Criticism

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Sialic Acid Receptors: The Key to Solving the Enigma of Zoonotic Virus Spillover

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13020262 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 262

Author(s):

Suresh V Kuchipudi ◽

Rahul K Nelli ◽

Abhinay Gontu ◽

Rashmi Satyakumar ◽

Meera Surendran Nair ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Species ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Host Susceptibility ◽

Wild Mammals ◽

Zoonotic Virus ◽

Zoonotic Viruses ◽

Wide Range ◽

Sialic Acid Receptors ◽

Viral Emergence ◽

Emerging Viral Diseases

Emerging viral diseases are a major threat to global health, and nearly two-thirds of emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic. Most of the human epidemics and pandemics were caused by the spillover of viruses from wild mammals. Viruses that infect humans and a wide range of animals have historically caused devastating epidemics and pandemics. An in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of viral emergence and zoonotic spillover is still lacking. Receptors are major determinants of host susceptibility to viruses. Animal species sharing host cell receptors that support the binding of multiple viruses can play a key role in virus spillover and the emergence of novel viruses and their variants. Sialic acids (SAs), which are linked to glycoproteins and ganglioside serve as receptors for several human and animal viruses. In particular, influenza and coronaviruses, which represent two of the most important zoonotic threats, use SAs as cellular entry receptors. This is a comprehensive review of our current knowledge of SA receptor distribution among animal species and the range of viruses that use SAs as receptors. SA receptor tropism and the predicted natural susceptibility to viruses can inform targeted surveillance of domestic and wild animals to prevent the future emergence of zoonotic viruses.

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Molecular Evolution and Characterization of Hemagglutinin (H) in Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0152587 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e0152587 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Zhongxiang Liang ◽

Ruyi Yuan ◽

Lei Chen ◽

Xueliang Zhu ◽

Yongxi Dou

Keyword(s):

Molecular Evolution ◽

Peste Des Petits Ruminants

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