Epstein-Barr Virus Promotes the Production of Inflammatory Cytokines in Gingival Fibroblasts and RANKL-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation in RAW264.7 Cells

Periodontitis is an inflammatory condition that causes the destruction of the supporting tissues of teeth and is a major public health problem affecting more than half of the adult population worldwide. Recently, members of the herpes virus family, such as the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), have been suggested to be involved in the etiology of periodontitis because bacterial activity alone does not adequately explain the clinical characteristics of periodontitis. However, the role of EBV in the etiology of periodontitis is unknown. This study aimed to examine the effect of inactivated EBV on the expression of inflammatory cytokines in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and the induction of osteoclast differentiation. We found that extremely high levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were induced by inactivated EBV in a copy-dependent manner in HGFs. The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in HGFs were higher when the cells were treated with EBV than when treated with lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid. EBV induced IκBα degradation, NF-κB transcription, and RAW264.7 cell differentiation into osteoclast-like cells. These findings suggest that even without infecting the cells, EBV contributes to inflammatory cytokine production and osteoclast differentiation by contact with oral cells or macrophage lineage, resulting in periodontitis onset and progression.

Identification and molecular characterization of novel viruses in Ugandan cattle

The risk for the emergence of novel viral zoonotic diseases in animals and humans in Uganda is high given its geographical location with high biodiversity. We aimed to identify and characterize viruses in 175 blood samples from cattle selected in Uganda using molecular approaches. We identified 8 viral species belonging to 4 families (Flaviviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Reoviridae and Rhabdoviridae) and 6 genera (Hepacivirus, Pestivirus, Orthobunyavirus, Coltivirus, Dinovernavirus and Ephemerovirus). Four viruses were novel and tetantively named as Zikole virus (Family: Flaviviridae), Zeboroti virus (Family: Reoviridae), Zebtine virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae) and Kokolu virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae). In addition, Bovine hepacivirus, Obodhiang virus, Aedes pseudoscutellaris reovirus and Schmallenberg virus were identified for the first time in Ugandan cattle. We report a broad range of viruses including novel ones in the blood of cattle likely as reservoir hosts for emergence of novel viruses with serious public health implications.

Historical Insight, Classification, and Common Features of Coronavirus Family

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. They were named according to the shape of glycoprotein spikes present on the viral surface and resembling to the solar corona. The first coronaviruses identified in human were HCoV 229E and the HCoV OC43, known also as β-coronavirus. This virus family has become increasingly important and received more attention within scientific community in the past two decades because of three new viruses that can cause serious, even fatal, disease. These are SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which emerged in November 2002 and caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS); Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) caused by the MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV), identified in September 2012 and continues to cause sporadic and localized outbreaks. The third novel coronavirus to emerge in this century is called SARS-CoV-2. This chapter will describe the history of the coronavirus family discovery, emergence, and classification of the main coronaviruses.

The Geometry of ATG-Walks of the Omicron SARS CoV-2 Virus RNAs

In this message, the complete RNA sequences (GISAID) of Omicron (BA.1 and BA.2) SARS CoV-2 viruses are studied using the genomic ATG-walks. These walks are compared visually and numerically with a reference RNA (Wuhan, China, 2020), and the deviation levels are estimated. Statistical characteristics of these distributions are compared, including the fractal dimension values of coding-word length distributions. Most of the 17 RNA ATG walks studied here show relatively small deviations of their characteristics and resistance to forming a new virus family.

In vitro and computational analysis of the putative furin cleavage site (RRARS) in the divergent spike protein of the rodent coronavirus AcCoV-JC34 (sub-genus luchacovirus)

The Coronaviridae is a highly diverse virus family, with reservoir hosts in a variety of wildlife species that encompass bats, birds and small mammals, including rodents. Within the taxonomic group alphacoronavirus, certain sub-genera (including the luchacoviruses) have phylogenetically distinct spike proteins, which remain essentially uncharacterized. Using in vitro and computational techniques, we analyzed the spike protein of the rodent coronavirus AcCoV-JC34 from the sub-genus luchacovirus, previously identified in Apodemus chevrieri (Chevriers field mouse). We show that AcCoV-JC34, unlike the other luchacoviruses, has a putative furin cleavage site (FCS) within its spike S1 domain, close to the S1/S2 interface. The pattern of basic amino acids within the AcCoV-JC34 FCS (-RR-R-) is identical to that found in pre-variant SARS-CoV-2, which is in itself atypical for an FCS, and suboptimal for furin cleavage. Our analysis shows that, while containing an -RR-R- motif, the AcCoVJC34 spike FCS is not cleaved by furin (unlike for SARS-CoV-2), suggesting the possible presence of a progenitor sequence for viral emergence from a distinct wildlife host.

The Amino-Proximal Region of the Coat Protein of Cucumber Vein Yellowing Virus (Family Potyviridae) Affects the Infection Process and Whitefly Transmission

Most plant viruses rely on vector transmission for their spread and specific interactions between vector and virus have evolved to regulate this relationship. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci- transmitted cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV; genus Ipomovirus, family Potyviridae) is endemic in the Mediterranean Basin, where it causes significant losses in cucurbit crops. In this study, the role of the coat protein (CP) of CVYV for B. tabaci transmission and plant infection was investigated using a cloned and infectious CVYV cDNA and a collection of point and deletion mutants derived from this clone. Whitefly transmission of CVYV was abolished in a deletion mutant lacking amino acids in position 93–105 of the CP. This deletion mutant caused more severe disease symptoms compared to the cDNA clone representing the wild-type (wt) virus and movement efficiency was likewise affected. Two virus mutants carrying a partially restored CP were transmissible and showed symptoms comparable to the wt virus. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the N-terminus of the CVYV CP is a determinant for transmission by the whitefly vector and is involved in plant infection and symptom expression.

Differential Expression of Mitosis and Cell Cycle Regulatory Genes during Recovery from an Acute Respiratory Virus Infection

Acute respiratory virus infections can have profound and long-term effects on lung function that persist even after the acute responses have fully resolved. In this study, we examined gene expression by RNA sequencing in the lung tissue of wild-type BALB/c mice that were recovering from a sublethal infection with the pneumonia virus of mice (PVM), a natural rodent pathogen of the same virus family and genus as the human respiratory syncytial virus. We compared these responses to gene expression in PVM-infected mice treated with Lactobacillus plantarum, an immunobiotic agent that limits inflammation and averts the negative clinical sequelae typically observed in response to acute infection with this pathogen. Our findings revealed prominent differential expression of inflammation-associated genes as well as numerous genes and gene families implicated in mitosis and cell-cycle regulation, including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, cell division cycle genes, E2F transcription factors, kinesins, centromere proteins, and aurora kinases, among others. Of particular note was the differential expression of the cell division cycle gene Cdc20b, which was previously identified as critical for the ex vivo differentiation of multi-ciliated cells. Collectively, these findings provided us with substantial insight into post-viral repair processes and broadened our understanding of the mechanisms underlying Lactobacillus-mediated protection.

Highly Adaptive Phenuiviridae with Great Biomedical Importance

The newly established virus family Phenuiviridae in Bunyavirales harbors viruses infecting three kingdoms of host organisms (animals, plants, and fungi), which is rare in known virus families. Many phenuiviruses are arboviruses and replicate in two distinct hosts (e.g., insects and humans or rice). Multiple phenuiviruses, such as Dabie bandavirus, Rift Valley fever phlebovirus, and Rice stripe tenuivirus, are highly pathogenic to humans, animals, or plants. They impose heavy global burdens on human health, livestock industry, and agriculture and are research hotspots. In recent years the taxonomy of Phenuiviridae has been expanded greatly, and researches on phenuiviruses have made significant progress. With these advances, this review drew a novel panorama regarding the biomedical significance, distribution, morphology, genomics, taxonomy, evolution, replication, transmission, pathogenesis, and control of phenuiviruses, to aid researchers in various fields to recognize this highly adaptive and very important virus family.

Application of silver nanoparticles as a new alternative antiviral agent for SARS-CoV-2: A Review

Background: Today, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), a viral disease caused by novel corona virus (a tiny crowned virus) has become one of threats for human being all over the world and caused the death of millions of people worldwide. For this pandemic, some vaccines have been developed in various countries and given to some people but still it seems difficult to cure all corona strains due to its ability to form new strains. So, it is necessary to have the knowledge about the structure of virus, mechanism of actions and their antiviral activities against the drugs and other functional materials. Method: AgNPs have unique physicochemical and antimicrobial properties. This review describes the structure and nature of virus, mechanism of action of antiviral drug such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with virus. In addition, different methods for synthesis of AgNPs, application of AgNPs as an antiviral agent against influenza virus, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), hepatitis B virus (HBV), polio virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are discussed. Also, most probable applications and properties of AgNPs which can help to prepare it as an antiviral agent are discussed. Results: The use of AgNPs against various viruses including corona virus family is found to be effective, so it can be considered for the development of antiviral agents, disinfectants, antiviral coated mask and their therapeutic use against the treatment of novel corona virus with minimum side effect and great efficiency. Conclusions: AgNPs was successfully used for the treatment of various viral diseases of corona virus family such as H1N1, H3N2 influenza even for SARS and MERS corona viruses, but there are some reports where researchers debated about the clinical trial or even clinical use for administration and inhalation of AgNPs for the various treatments. AgNPs coated masks, disinfectants, fabrics, wipes, inhalation systems are effective for inhibition of SARS-CoV-2. Since sanitizers have temporary effect, so the development of some other potential alternative having low toxicity, ease of use, long lasting efficiency, health cautious, minimum side effect, sustainable fabrics is required.

Virome in Fecal Samples From Wild Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca)

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is one of the most endangered mammals in the world; anthropogenic habitat loss and poaching still threaten the survival of wild pandas. Viral infection has become one of the potential threats to the health of these animals, but the available information related to these infections is still limited. In order to detect possible vertebrate viruses, the virome in the fecal samples of seven wild giant pandas from Qinling Mountains was investigated by using the method of viral metagenomics. From the fecal virome of wild giant pandas, we determined six nearly complete genomes belonging to the order Picornavirales, two of which may be qualified as a novel virus family or genus. In addition, four complete genomes belonging to the Genomoviridae family were also fully characterized. This virological investigation has increased our understanding of the gut viral community in giant pandas. Whether these viruses detected in fecal samples can really infect giant panda needs further research.