1,720,964 research outputs found
G-quadruplexes in the HSV-1 and HHV-6 genomes as antiviral targets
Get PDFGuanine-rich nucleic acids can fold into G-quadruplexes, four-stranded secondary structures which are implicated in important regulatory functions at the genomic level in humans, prokaryotes and viruses. Because the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) genome is remarkably rich in guanines, we aimed at investigating both the presence of G-quadruplex forming sequences at the viral genome level and the possibility to target them with G-quadruplex ligands to obtain anti-HSV-1 effects with novel mechanisms of action.
Here we show that HSV-1 displays six clusters of repeated sequences that form very stable G-quadruplexes. These sequences are located in the inverted repeats and in two gene-coding regions (ICP0 and UL36) of the HSV-1 genome. One G-quadruplex repeat is located in the promoter region of the multifunctional protein γ134.5.
Treatment of HSV-1 infected cells with the G-quadruplex ligands BRACO-19 and TMPyP4 induced significant inhibition of virus production and reduction of viral transcripts. BRACO-19 was able to inhibit Taq polymerase processing at G-quadruplex forming sequences in the HSV-1 genome, and caused a decreased intracellular viral DNA in infected cells. The last step targeted by BRACO-19 was viral DNA replication, while no effect on virus entry in the cells was observed. A different TMPyP4-mediated mechanism of action was on the contrary observed. Despite its capability to affect Taq polymerase processing, TMPyP4 did not inhibit intracellular viral DNA and it appeared to prevent HSV-1 maturation/egress by stimulating the autophagy process.
As a second part of the study, we extended this innovative antiviral approach to human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6). One of the main HHV-6 features is the presence of tandem repeats of the telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n at the genome termini (DR). This peculiarity is thought to be responsible for the viral integration in specific human chromosomes, occurring in the 1-2% of the world population. To date, the telomeric G-quadruplex structure had been extensively characterized. We showed that BRACO-19 and TMPyP4 displayed a great antiviral activity against both HHV-6A and HHV-6B.
In the third part of this study, by using specific DNA G-quadruplex-interacting antibodies, for the first time we visualized viral DNA G-quadruplexes in infected cells at crucial time points for the viral replication cycle, in which viral DNA is likely in a single-stranded state.
This work, besides presenting the first evidence of extended G-quadruplex sites in key regions of the HSV-1 and HHV-6 genomes, points out G-quadruplexes as innovative potential antiviral targets in novel therapeutic interventions, based on the use of G-quadruplex ligands
Synthesis and G-Quadruplex Binding and Selectivity of Novel Tri- and Tetra-Substituted Ethynyl Naphthalene Diimides
No full textBiophysical characterization and antiviral effects of non-canonical DNA structures in the Herpes simplex virus-1 genome.
No full textFormation of multiple clusters of repeated G-quadruplex in the HSV-1 genome: implications for antiviral activity.
No full textBiophysical characterization and antiviral effects of non-canonical DNA structures in the Herpes simplex virus type 1 genome.
No full text
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Visualization of DNA G-quadruplexes in herpes simplex virus 1-infected cells
Get PDFWe have previously shown that clusters of guanine quadruplex (G4) structures can form in the human herpes simplex-1 (HSV-1) genome. Here we used immunofluorescence and immune-electron microscopy with a G4-specific monoclonal antibody to visualize G4 structures in HSV-1 infected cells. We found that G4 formation and localization within the cells was virus cycle dependent: viral G4s peaked at the time of viral DNA replication in the cell nucleus, moved to the nuclear membrane at the time of virus nuclear egress and were later found in HSV-1 immature virions released from the cell nucleus. Colocalization of G4s with ICP8, a viral DNA processing protein, was observed in viral replication compartments. G4s were lost upon treatment with DNAse and inhibitors of HSV-1 DNA replication. The notable increase in G4s upon HSV-1 infection suggests a key role of these structures in the HSV-1 biology and indicates new targets to control both the lytic and latent infection
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
- …
