Table of Contents
Spotlight
Minireview
- MinireviewRole of Inflammation in Virus Pathogenesis during Pregnancy
Viral infections during pregnancy lead to a spectrum of maternal and fetal outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic disease to more critical conditions presenting with severe maternal morbidity, stillbirth, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and fetal congenital anomalies, either apparent at birth or later in life. In this article, we review the pathogenesis of several viral infections that are particularly relevant in the...
Structure and Assembly
- Structure and AssemblyStructure of High-Risk Papillomavirus 31 E6 Oncogenic Protein and Characterization of E6/E6AP/p53 Complex Formation
Variations of carcinogenicity of human papillomaviruses are related to variations of the E6 and E7 interactome. While different HPV species and genera are known to target distinct host proteins, the fine differences between E6 and E7 of closely related HPVs, supposed to target the same cellular protein pools, remain to be addressed. We compare the oncogenic E6 proteins of the closely related high-risk HPV31 and HPV16 with regard to...
Genetic Diversity and Evolution
- Genetic Diversity and Evolution | SpotlightDetection and Characterization of Swine Origin Influenza A(H1N1) Pandemic 2009 Viruses in Humans following Zoonotic Transmission
Influenza virus infects a wide range of hosts, resulting in illnesses that vary from asymptomatic cases to severe pneumonia and death. Viral transfer can occur between human and nonhuman hosts, resulting in human and nonhuman origin viruses circulating in novel hosts. In this work, we have identified the first case of a swine-origin influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus resulting in a human infection. This shows that these viruses not only...
- Genetic Diversity and Evolution | SpotlightA Respiratory Syncytial Virus Attachment Gene Variant Associated with More Severe Disease in Infants Decreases Fusion Protein Expression, Which May Facilitate Immune Evasion
Strain-specific differences in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) isolates are associated with differential pathogenesis in mice. However, the role of RSV genotypes in human infection is incompletely understood. This work demonstrates that one such genotype, 2stop+A4G, present in the RSV attachment (G) gene terminus is associated with greater infant disease severity. The genotype consists of two tandem stop codons preceding an A-to-G...
- Genetic Diversity and EvolutionIsolation and Characterization of Porcine Astrovirus 5 from a Classical Swine Fever Virus-Infected Specimen
Porcine astroviruses are mainly associated with gastroenteritis and neurological diseases in pigs, and five genotypes have been identified (PAstV1-5). However, the clinical manifestations of genotypes other than PAstV1 have not yet been determined because of the failure of in vitro virus isolation. Here, we report a surprising isolation of a PAstV5 strain from a clinical classical swine fever virus (CSFV)-infected tissue sample...
- Genetic Diversity and EvolutionCountry Level Diversity of the HIV-1 Pandemic between 1990 and 2015
This is the first study to analyze global country level HIV-1 diversity from 1990 to 2015. We found extremely wide variation in complexity of country level HIV diversity around the world. Central African countries have the most diverse HIV epidemics. The number of distinct HIV-1 subtypes and recombinants was greatest in Western Europe and North America. The proportion of HIV-1 infections due to recombinants was highest in South-East...
Virus-Cell Interactions
- Virus-Cell InteractionsCapsid Lattice Destabilization Leads to Premature Loss of the Viral Genome and Integrase Enzyme during HIV-1 Infection
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) capsid (CA) protein forms a conical lattice around the viral RNA genome and the associated viral enzymes and proteins, together constituting the viral core. Upon infection of a new cell, viral cores are released into the cytoplasm where they undergo a process termed “uncoating,” i.e., shedding of CA molecules from the conical lattice. Although proper and timely uncoating has been shown to...
- Virus-Cell InteractionsEukaryotic Translation Elongation Factor 1 Delta Inhibits the Nuclear Import of the Nucleoprotein and PA-PB1 Heterodimer of Influenza A Virus
Influenza A virus is the major cause of influenza, a respiratory disease in humans and animals. Different from most other RNA viruses, the transcription and replication of IAV occur in the cell nucleus. Therefore, the vRNPs must be imported into the nucleus for viral transcription and replication, which requires participation of host proteins. However, the mechanisms of the IAV-host interactions involved in nuclear import remain poorly...
- Virus-Cell InteractionsCytidine Monophosphate N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Synthetase and Solute Carrier Family 35 Member A1 Are Required for Reovirus Binding and Infection
Attachment factors and receptors are important determinants of dissemination and tropism during reovirus-induced disease. In a CRISPR cell survival screen, we discovered two genes, Cmas and Slc35a1, which encode proteins required for sialic acid expression on the cell surface and mediate reovirus infection of microglial cells. This work elucidates host genes that render microglial cells susceptible to reovirus...
- Virus-Cell Interactions | SpotlightEnterovirus Infection Induces Massive Recruitment of All Isoforms of Small Cellular Arf GTPases to the Replication Organelles
Enteroviruses include many known and emerging pathogens, such as poliovirus, enteroviruses 71 and D68, and others. However, licensed vaccines are available only against poliovirus and enterovirus 71, and specific anti-enterovirus therapeutics are lacking. Enterovirus infection induces the massive remodeling of intracellular membranes and the development of specialized domains harboring viral replication complexes, replication organelles...
- Virus-Cell Interactions | SpotlightPhosphatidylethanolamine and Phosphatidylserine Synergize To Enhance GAS6/AXL-Mediated Virus Infection and Efferocytosis
Phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are usually sequestered to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane of the healthy eukaryotic cells. During apoptosis, these phospholipids move to the cell’s outer leaflet where they are recognized by so-called PS receptors on surveilling phagocytes. Several pathogenic families of enveloped viruses hijack these PS receptors to gain entry into their target cells. Here, we show...
Pathogenesis and Immunity
- Pathogenesis and ImmunityThe Tegument Protein pUL47 of Marek’s Disease Virus Is Necessary for Horizontal Transmission and Is Important for Expression of Glycoprotein gC
Host-to-host transmission of viruses is ideally studied in vivo in the natural host. Veterinary viruses such as Marek’s disease virus (MDV) are, therefore, models of choice to explore these aspects. The natural host of MDV, the chicken, is small, inexpensive, and economically important. MDV is a deadly and contagious herpesvirus that can kill infected animals in less than 4 weeks. The virus naturally infects epithelial cells of...
- Pathogenesis and ImmunitySimian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus SHIV.C.CH505 Persistence in ART-Suppressed Infant Macaques Is Characterized by Elevated SHIV RNA in the Gut and a High Abundance of Intact SHIV DNA in Naive CD4+ T Cells
Uncovering the sanctuaries of the long-lived HIV-1 reservoir is crucial to develop cure strategies. Pediatric immunity is distinct from that of adults, which may alter where the reservoir is established in infancy. Thus, it is important to utilize pediatric models to inform cure-directed approaches for HIV-1-infected children. We used an infant rhesus macaque model of HIV-1 infection via breastfeeding to identify key sites of viral...