Mass spectrometry-based studies of virus assembly
Publication date: June 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 36Author(s): Alison E AshcroftThe assembly of exact numbers of protein monomers into the distinct architectures of virus capsids has long been of intrigue. Despite the diseases associated with viruses, there is a paucity of anti-viral therapies; however, mapping virus capsid assembly at the molecular level may lead to the development of more therapeutics.Native mass spectrometry is a powerful, versatile tool with which to monitor biomolecular assembly pathways and identify key intermediates. Recent highlights in this field in terms of MDa mass measureme...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - March 10, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Baloxavir marboxil: the new influenza drug on the market
Publication date: April 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 35Author(s): Ryan O’Hanlon, Megan L ShawFor the first time in nearly 20 years there is a new class of antiviral drug for influenza. The latest approved antiviral is baloxavir marboxil (trade name, Xofluza) which targets the endonuclease function of the viral PA polymerase subunit and prevents the transcription of viral mRNA. The most promising aspect of this new drug is its pharmacology which allows for effective treatment of influenza A or B virus infection with just a single dose. A clinical trial showed greater reductions in viral loads with balox...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - March 10, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
The amazing HK97 fold: versatile results of modest differences
Publication date: June 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 36Author(s): Robert L Duda, Carolyn M TeschkedsDNA Bacteriophages, some dsDNA archaeal viruses and the Herpesviruses share many features including a common capsid assembly pathway and coat protein fold. The coat proteins of these viruses, which have the HK97 fold, co-assemble with a free or attached scaffolding protein and other capsid proteins into a precursor capsid, known as a procapsid or prohead. The procapsid is a metastable state that increases in stability as a result of morphological changes that occur during the dsDNA packaging reaction. We re...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - March 10, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Strategies for Zika drug discovery
Publication date: April 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 35Author(s): Jing Zou, Pei-Yong ShiZika virus (ZIKV) can cause devastating congenital syndrome in fetuses from pregnant women and autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. No clinically approved vaccine or drug is currently available for ZIKV. This unmet medical need has motivated a global effort to develop countermeasures. Several promising ZIKV vaccine candidates have already entered clinical trials. In contrast, antiviral development of ZIKV is lagging behind. Here, we review the overall strategies for ZIKV drug discovery, including (i...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - March 8, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Structural perspectives of antibody-dependent enhancement of infection of dengue virus
Publication date: June 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 36Author(s): Seamus R Morrone, Shee-Mei LokDengue virus (DENV) consists of four serotypes. Sequential serotype infections can cause increased disease severity, likely due to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection. Here, we review two recent papers showing major advancements in the understanding of the ADE mechanism for both mature and immature DENV. The surface of both mature and immature DENV contains E and another protein — M in mature and prM in immature virus. On mature DENV, the orientation of anti-E antibody with respect to the virus ...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - March 5, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Status of antiviral therapeutics against rabies virus and related emerging lyssaviruses
Publication date: April 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 35Author(s): Venice Du Pont, Richard K Plemper, Matthias J SchnellRabies virus (RABV) constitutes a major social and economic burden associated with 60 000 deaths annually worldwide. Although pre-exposure and post-exposure treatment options are available, they are efficacious only when initiated before the onset of clinical symptoms. Aggravating the problem, the current RABV vaccine does not cross-protect against the emerging zoonotic phylogroup II lyssaviruses. A requirement for an uninterrupted cold chain and high cost of the immunoglobulin compone...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - February 11, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Emergence and re-emergence of mosquito-borne arboviruses
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Yan-Jang S Huang, Stephen Higgs, Dana L VanlandinghamArthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are ecologically distinct from many other pathogens because of the involvement of arthropod vectors and animal reservoirs. Several mosquito-borne arboviruses have emerged in various geographic regions during the past few decades. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the emergence of two mosquito-borne arboviruses, chikungunya and Zika, has taken place globally. Millions of infections have not only changed the epidemiology of previously obscure...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - February 9, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Emerging viruses in aquaculture
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Frederick SB KibengeAquaculture remains the world’s fastest-growing sector producing food of animal origin. Unlike in terrestrial animal agriculture, in aquaculture both farmed and wild aquatic animals in the same water column experience the same virus challenges. Additionally, the burgeoning international aquaculture expansion and expanding global trade in live aquatic animals and their products have been accompanied by long distance geographical redistribution of aquatic animal species and their viruses. The outcome is a continuous ...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - February 2, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Parallel molecular evolution and adaptation in viruses
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Bernardo Gutierrez, Marina Escalera-Zamudio, Oliver G PybusParallel molecular evolution is the independent evolution of the same genotype or phenotype from distinct ancestors. The simple genomes and rapid evolution of many viruses mean they are useful model systems for studying parallel evolution by natural selection. Parallel adaptation occurs in the context of several viral behaviours, including cross-species transmission, drug resistance, and host immune escape, and its existence suggests that at least some aspects of virus evolution...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 30, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Viruses in bats and potential spillover to animals and humans
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Lin-Fa Wang, Danielle E AndersonIn the last two decades, several high impact zoonotic disease outbreaks have been linked to bat-borne viruses. These include SARS coronavirus, Hendra virus and Nipah virus. In addition, it has been suspected that ebolaviruses and MERS coronavirus are also linked to bats. It is being increasingly accepted that bats are potential reservoirs of a large number of known and unknown viruses, many of which could spillover into animal and human populations. However, our knowledge into basic bat biology and immuno...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 20, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and expansion from endemic regions
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Jessica R Spengler, Éric Bergeron, Christina F SpiropoulouCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a virus-mediated hemorrhagic disease that occurs over a wide geographic region. In recent years, a variety of active and passive surveillance networks have improved our knowledge of areas with existing circulation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), the etiologic agent of CCHF. These investigations aid in better defining the distribution of the virus. Expansion of a virus into new areas can occur through a variety of means,...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 17, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Emerging and re-emerging coronaviruses in pigs
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Qiuhong Wang, Anastasia N Vlasova, Scott P Kenney, Linda J SaifPorcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and swine acute diarrhea syndrome-coronavirus (SADS-CoV) are emerging/reemerging coronaviruses (CoVs). They cause acute gastroenteritis in neonatal piglets. Sequence analyses suggest that PEDV and SADS-CoV may have originated from bat CoVs and PDCoV from a sparrow CoV, reaffirming the interspecies transmission of CoVs. The clinical signs and pathogenesis of the three viruses are similar. Necrosis of in...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 15, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Evolution of plant–virus interactions: host range and virus emergence
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Michael J McLeish, Aurora Fraile, Fernando García-ArenalChanges in host range are central to virus emergence. Host range, together with its evolution, is determined by virus intrinsic factors, such as genetic traits determining its fitness in different hosts. Experimental analyses have shown the relevance in host range evolution of across-host fitness trade-offs. Host range is also determined by ecological factors extrinsic to the virus such as the distribution, abundance, and interaction of species, and understanding their role in hos...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 15, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses: recent developments with these globally re-emerging arboviral infections of ruminants
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Nigel James Maclachlan, Stephan Zientara, William C Wilson, Juergen A Richt, Giovanni SaviniBluetongue (BT) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) are globally re-emerging diseases of domestic and wild ruminants, respectively caused by BT virus (BTV) and EHD virus. Both viruses are transmitted by hematophagous midges; however, newly recognized BTV serotypes may be transmitted horizontally without requirement for any biological vector. The global range of these viruses and/or their associated diseases have changed remarkably in recent y...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 15, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
Emergence and re-emergence of respiratory adenoviruses in the United States
Publication date: February 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 34Author(s): Adriana E Kajon, Daryl M Lamson, Kirsten St. GeorgeHuman adenoviruses (HAdVs) are prevalent causes of acute respiratory disease (ARD) in military and civilian communities. Over the last 20 years, collaborative efforts between US public health, military and academic laboratories have gathered comprehensive data documenting the emergence and re-emergence of specific HAdV types in association with outbreaks and unrelated cases of ARD, which have attracted national attention. New or reemerging HAdVs have included genomic variants of HAdV-B1...
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - January 15, 2019 Category: Virology Source Type: research
