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Development of sesbania mosaic virus nanoparticles for imaging
No full textAbstractThe capsids of viruses have a high degree of symmetry. Therefore, virus nanoparticles (VNPs) can be programmed to displaymany imaging agents precisely. Plant VNPs are biocompatible, biodegradable and non-infectious to mammals. We have carriedout bioconjugation of sesbania mosaic virus (SeMV), a well characterized plant virus, with fluorophores using reactivelysine-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester and cysteine-maleimide chemistries. Monitoring of cellular internalization of labelledSeMV nanoparticles (NPs) by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry showed that the particles have a natural preferencefor entry into MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer) cells, although they could also enter various other cell lines. The fluorescenceof SeMV NPs labelled via the cysteines with Cy5.5 dye was found to be more stable and was detectable with greater sensitivitythan that of particles labelled via the lysines with Alexa Fluor. Live-cell imaging using SeMV internally labelled withCy5.5 showed that it could bind to MDA-MB-231 cells in less than 5 minutes and enter the cells within 15 minutes. Theparticles undergo endolysosomal degradation by 6 h as evidenced by their co-localization with LAMP-1. Far-western blotanalysis with a HeLa cell membrane protein fraction showed that SeMV interacts with 54-, 35- and 33-kDa proteins, whichwere identified by mass spectrometry as vimentin, voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein (VDAC1), and annexinA2 isoform 2 (ANXA2), respectively, suggesting that the particles may bind and enter the cell through these proteins. Theresults presented here demonstrate that the SeMV NPs provide a new platform technology that could be used to develop invivo imaging and targeted drug delivery agents for cancer diagnosis and therapy
Discovery of three RNA viruses using ant transcriptomic datasets
No full textAbstractThree novel RNA viruses, named Formica fusca virus 1 (GenBank accession no. MH477287), Lasius neglectus virus 2(MH477288) and Myrmica scabrinodis virus 2 (MH477289), were discovered in ants collected in Cambridge, UK. Theproposed virus names were given based on the hosts in which they were identified. The genome sequences were obtainedusing de novo transcriptome assembly of high-throughput RNA sequencing reads and confirmed by Sanger sequencing.Phylogenetic analysis showed that Formica fusca virus 1 grouped within the family Nyamiviridae, Lasius neglectus virus 2grouped within the family Rhabdoviridae and Myrmica scabrinodis virus 2 belongs to the family Dicistroviridae. All threeviruses are highly divergent from previously sequenced viruses
PARV4 found in wild chimpanzee faeces: an alternate routeof transmission?
No full textAbstractHuman parvovirus 4 (PARV4, family Parvoviridae, genus Tetraparvovirus) displays puzzling features, such as uncertainclinical importance/significance, unclear routes of transmission, and discontinuous geographical distribution. The origin,or the general reservoir, of human PARV4 infection is unknown. We aimed to detect and characterize PARV4 virus in faecalsamples collected from two wild chimpanzee populations and 19 species of captive non-human primates. We aimed toinvestigate these species as a potential reservoir and alternate route of transmission on the African continent. From almost500 samples screened, a single wild Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii sample tested positive. Full genome analysis, as well assingle ORF phylogenies, confirmed species-specific PARV4 infection
Validity of Skin, Oral and Tympanic Temperatures During Exercisein the Heat: Effects of Wind and Sweat
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