Polypeptide composition of flacherie viruses of the silkworm

The purified flacherie viruses of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, (FVS I, FVS II, FVS III, and FVS IV) were iodinated by using chloramine-T. The iodinated FVSes were purified by sucrose density gradient centrifugation or 2.4% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. FVS IV was found in the sedimentation analysis of FVS I, FVS II, and FVS IV. Electrophoretic patterns of FVS IV showed that it was a mixture of components having identical mobilities with FVS I, EVS IIa, and FVS IIb. FVS IV was a decomposed particle of FVS I, FVS II, and/or FVS III. All of these particles contained three polypeptides with molecular weights of about 51,000, 31,000, and 12,000 daltons. FVS I composed of six polypeptides with molecular weights of 67,000, 51,000, 39,000, 31,000, 14,000, and 12,000 daltons. The maturation process of FVS I was discussed and was suggested as the following process, FVS IIb→FVS IIa→FVS I. It is not clear whether FVS III is an intermediate for FVS IIa to convert into FVS I, or FVS III is a decomposed particle of FVS I.     

Early onset of virus infection and up-regulation of cytokines in mice treated with cadmium and manganese

A substantial database indicates that a large number of environmental pollutants, chemicals and therapeutic agents to which organisms are exposed cause immunotoxicity. The suppression of immune functions may cause increased susceptibility of the host to a variety of microbial pathogens potentially resulting in a life-threatening state. Evaluation of the immunotoxic potential of chemical xenobiotics is of great concern and, therefore, we have investigated the impact of exposure of inorganic metals, specifically cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) on Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), Semliki Forest virus (SFV), and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEEV) infection. Pretreatment with a single, oral dose of Cd or Mn increased the susceptibility of mice to a sub-lethal infection of these viruses as observed by increased severity of symptoms and mortality compared to untreated controls. An early onset of virus infection was found in brains of Cd and Mn treated animals. Histopathological observations of the brain indicate evidence of inflammation and greater tissue pathology in Cd-or Mn-exposed mice compared to control animals. Meningitis and vascular congestion was seen in virus infected mice in all the metal treated groups, and further, the perivascular inflammation appeared earlier in treated mice compared to control. Encephalitis was maximum in Cd pretreated mice. Widespread environmental contamination of metals and the potential for their exposure and subsequent infection of humans or animals is indicative that further studies of these and all other metals are important to understand the effect of environmental pollution on human health.     

应用斑点法检测植物病毒的研究

应用斑点法检测了病叶粗汁液中的芜菁花叶病毒(TuMV)、大豆花叶病毒(sMV)和黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV),病叶粗汁液可被检测的最大稀释度分别为1:5120、1:2560和1:1280。提纯的大豆花叶病毒和黄瓜花叶病毒可检测的最低限量分别为1.7ng和1.2ng。以牛血清白蛋白、吐温和聚乙烯吡咯啉酮作封闭液,均可获得满意的结果。应用斑点法检测芜菁花叶病毒和大豆花叶病毒时,其抗血清稀释1:500倍可获得满意效果,稀释2000倍仍可用于检测。     

肝炎病毒与EB病毒重叠感染

为探讨肝炎病毒（ＨＶ）与ＥＢ病毒（ＥＢＶ）重叠感染的状况和后果,我们用免疫酶法对１５４例各型病毒性肝炎患者作了ＥＢＶＩｇＡ抗体检测。结果发现,急性肝炎、慢性轻度肝炎、慢性中度肝炎、肝炎肝硬化、慢性重型肝炎和原发性肝癌ＶＧＡ－ＩｇＡ抗体的阳性率分别为２４．０％、３０．０％、５３．３％、６３．３％、４０．０％和７２．７％,与健康人（５．３％）比较,有非常显著升高（Ｐ＜０．０１）;原发性肝癌又较急性肝炎和慢性轻度肝炎高,并有非常显著意义差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。ＨＢＶ和ＨＡＶ＋ＨＢＶ感染者比较,前者又较后者低（Ｐ＜０．０１）。重叠感染者的临床表现均为“肝炎型”,未见咽炎、腺热、胃肠、肺炎、肾炎、神经等类型。重叠感染者的ＣＤ＋３及ＣＤ＋４Ｔ细胞下降,ＣＤ＋８Ｔ细胞及ＩｇＧ,ＩｇＭ升高,与健康人比较差异非常显著意义（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结果提示：ＨＶ感染,不仅因免疫失调易感ＥＢＶ,又可因重叠感染而进一步使免疫功能失调;对病毒性肝炎的处理应强调免疫调节治疗。     

Evidence for plant viruses in the region of Argentina Islands, Antarctica

This work focused on the assessment of plant virus occurrence among primitive and higher plants in the Antarctic region. Sampling occurred during two seasons (2004/5 and 2005/6) at the Ukrainian Antarctic Station 'Academician Vernadskiy' positioned on Argentina Islands. Collected plant samples of four moss genera (Polytrichum, Plagiatecium, Sanionia and Barbilophozia) and one higher monocot plant species, Deschampsia antarctica, were further subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to test for the presence of common plant viruses. Surprisingly, samples of Barbilophozia and Polytrichum mosses were found to contain antigens of viruses from the genus Tobamovirus, Tobacco mosaic virus and Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, which normally parasitize angiosperms. By contrast, samples of the monocot Deschampsia antarctica were positive for viruses typically infecting dicots: Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, Cucumber mosaic virus and Tomato spotted wilt virus. Serological data for Deschampsia antarctica were supported in part by transmission electron microscopy observations and bioassay results. The results demonstrate comparatively high diversity of plant viruses detected in Antarctica; the results also raise questions of virus specificity and host susceptibility, as the detected viruses normally infect dicotyledonous plants. However, the means of plant virus emergence in the region remain elusive and are discussed.     

Expression and detection of endogenous mouse C-type RNA viruses

Summary Many naturally occurring C-type RNA viruses are of endogenous origin. The genetic information for synthesizing these RNA viruses is present in the DNA of normal mouse cells, probably as part of their chromosomal DNA. Some C-type viruses infect mouse cells (homotropic virus), while others infect certain tissue culture cells from other species but not mouse fibroblasts (xenotropic virus). All mouse strains studied appear to contain endogenous xenotropic viral genomes. However, based on the regularity with which homotropic virus is detected, inbred mice can be divided into high, low, and nonvirus-yielding strains. Nucleic acid hybridization studies have shown that DNA from high virus strains contains several copies of the homotropic virus genome, while that from low virus strains contains fewer copies, and DNA from nonvirus strains lacks a significant portion of the homotropic virus genome. In vivo and in vitro genetic studies support the nucleic acid hybridization results. In addition, high virus mouse strains are more likely than low virus strains to release virus that will replicate efficiently in their own cells. Methods for the activation and detection of endogenous C-type virus in tissue culture are discussed. Presented at the Session in Depth on Endogenous Viruses in Cell Culture at the Twenty-fifth Annual Meeting of the Tissue Culture Association, June 1974.     

Qualification of a novel inline spiking method for virus filter validation

Virus filters are widely used in bioprocessing to reduce the risk of virus contamination in therapeutics. The small pores required to retain viruses are sensitive to plugging by trace contaminants and frequently require inline adsorptive prefiltration. Virus spiking studies are required to demonstrate virus removal capabilities of the virus filter using scale down filters. If prefiltration removes viruses and interferes with the measurement of virus filter LRV, the standard approach is to batch prefilter the protein solution, spike with virus, and then virus filter. For a number of proteins, batch prefiltration leads to increased plugging and significantly lower throughputs than inline prefiltration. A novel inline spiking method was developed to overcome this problem. This method allows the use of inline prefiltration with direct measurement of virus filter removal capabilities. The equipment and its operation are described. The method was tested with three different protein feeds, two different parvovirus filters, two virus injection rates; a salt spike, a bacteriophage spike, and two mammalian virus spikes: MMV and xMuLV. The novel inline method can reliably measure LRV at throughputs representative of the manufacturing process. It is recommended for applications where prefiltration is needed to improve throughput, prefiltration significantly reduces virus titer, and virus filter throughput is significantly reduced using batch vs. inline prefiltration. It can even help for the case where the virus preparation causes premature plugging.     

Solubilization of the semliki forest virus membrane with sodium deoxycholate

The effects of increasing concentrations of sodium deoxycholate on Semliki Forest virus have been studied. Sodium deoxycholate begins to bind to the virus at less than 0.1 mM free equilibrium concentration and causes lysis of the viral membrane at $\text{0.9 ± 0.1}\text{mM}$ free equilibrium concentration when $\text{2.2 ± 0.2 ß 10}{}^3\text{mol}$ of sodium deoxycholate are bound per mol of virus. Liberation of proteins from the membrane begins at $\text{1.5 ± 0.1}\text{mM}$ sodium deoxycholate and the proteins released are virtually free from phospholipid above 2.0 mM sodium deoxycholate. The overall mechanism of sodium deoxycholate solubilization of the viral membrane resembles that of Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate except that with sodium deoxycholate the various stages of membrane disruption occur at about 10-fold higher equilibrium free detergent concentrations. At sodium deoxycholate concentrations higher than 2.3 mM the viral spike glycoproteins can be separated by sucrose gradient centrifugation or gel filtration into constituent polypeptides E1, E2 and E3. E1 carries the haemagglutinating activity of the virus.     

表达绿色荧光蛋白的重组鸡传染性支气管炎病毒的构建

为探讨鸡传染性支气管炎病毒(IBV)作为载体表达外源基因的可行性,本研究根据IBV H120疫苗株的全基因组序列设计引物,采用RT-PCR方法分10个片段对其基因组进行扩增,并克隆至pMD19-T载体中;同时构建IBV基因组5a基因编码区被增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)基因替换的重组质粒。采用体外拼接策略,将BsaI酶切处理的10个基因片段顺序连接,构建5a基因编码区被EGFP基因替换的基因组全长cDNA,其5’端具有完整的T7 RNA聚合酶启动子核心序列,3’端具有polyA尾巴结构。然后通过T7 RNA聚合酶体外转录系统合成病毒基因组RNA,脂质体转染BHK-21细胞进行病毒拯救。结果表明成功的从基因组全长cDNA拯救出重组病毒H120-5a/EGFP株,其在鸡胚中能有效的复制和传代,并表达绿色荧光蛋白;5a基因的缺失并不影响病毒对鸡胚的致病性。本研究为进一步开展IBV的分子致病机理、载体疫苗等研究奠定了基础。     

重组乙型肝炎疫苗(CHO细胞)生产工艺病毒灭活验证

目的:验证重组乙型肝炎疫苗(CHO细胞)生产工艺灭活病毒能力,评价疫苗安全性。方法:将乙型肝炎疫苗原液按1∶9比例加入指示病毒(麻疹病毒、VSV病毒),混匀后加入甲醛溶液,使甲醛终浓度达到1/2000和1/4000,放置于37℃,分别于0h、24h、48h、72h取样,用亚硫酸氢钠中和,贮存于-70℃待检或立即检测病毒滴度,对病毒检测阴性的样品盲传3代,进一步检测。结果:疫苗原液加入1/2000和1/4000的甲醛溶液,37℃作用24h、48h、72h,麻疹病毒滴度下降4.0个Log值,VSV病毒滴度下降5.0个Log值,且细胞盲传三代,均未出现细胞病变。结论:乙型肝炎疫苗原液在1/2000和1/4000甲醛浓度37℃72h作用下,均能有效灭活麻疹病毒和VSV病毒。     

XJ-160病毒复制子型表达载体的构建

XJ-160病毒是我国首次分离的辛德毕斯病毒,全基因组测序已经完成.本文利用该病毒全基因序列首先构建了全基因组cDNA克隆质粒,在此基础上,利用基因重组技术将病毒结构基因序列替换为含有多个单酶切位点的序列,得到复制子表达载体质粒pRepxj160.为验证载体的功能,将报告基因绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)和β-半乳糖苷酶基因(lacZ)分别插入到载体的多克隆位点,得到两个表达质粒;经体外转录获得的转录体RNA转染BHK-21细胞后14h,可检测到报告基因的表达.结果表明我们构建的XJ-160病毒复制子型表达载体具有自主复制功能,可以表达异源基因.本研究为进一步开发具有我国自主知识产权的甲病毒载体奠定了基础.     

Determination of the absolute hand of the helix in the nucleocapsid of haemagglutinating virus (Japan)

The basic hand of the helix of the nucleocapsid of haemagglutinating virus (Japan) was determined to be left-handed from observation of serrated-smooth asymmetry in tilted specimens examined in the electron microscope according to Finch's (1972) technique. Absolute determination of the helical hand was made by comparison with a tilted model of the virus nucleocapsid and by comparing this with the helical sense of the tobacco mosaic virus particle determined by the same method.The left-handed sense of the helix in the nucleocapsid was recognized by examination of cases showing opened-out turns of the helices. Under these conditions the far side of the particle was found to be contrasted predominantly. These conditions are discussed.     

Functional differences between occluded and nonoccluded viruses of a nuclear polyhedrosis of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Comparative infectivity and virus neutralization studies on occluded and nonoccluded viruses of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis revealed that the infectious unit causing peroral infection differed from that causing hemocoelic infection. There were functional differences between the occluded (mainly virons with envelopes) and the nonoccluded virus (mainly virions without envelopes) preparations. The peroral infection was largely due to the virion with an envelope (peroral infectious unit), and the hemocoelic infection was due largely to the virion without an envelope (hemocoelic infectious unit). The apparent change of the virions with envelope to those without envelopes was detected as a slight increase in hemocoelic infectivity when the occluded virus was diluted and incubated at 4°C for more than 6 days.     

Letter: Evidence for non-repetitive subunits in the genome of Rous sarcoma virus

The complexity of Rous sarcoma virus RNA has been determined using molecular hybridization. Relative to poliovirus RNA, the complexity of Rous sarcoma virus is 9·3 × 10⁶ daltons, a value close to its physically-determined molecular weight of about 10⁷. Our interpretation is that the 35 S RNA subunits of the 70 S virus genome are non-repetitive, that is, each possesses a unique nucleotide sequence, although a limited amount of redundancy cannot be excluded.     

The structure of vesicular stomatitis virus membrane A phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance approach

The proton decoupled 40.48 M Hz ³¹P NMR spectrum of intact and unperturbed membrane-enclosed vesicular stomatitis virus (serotype Indiana) exhibited two distinct maxima. These can be resolved into a narrow, symmetric line and a broad asymmetric line. The ³¹P NMR spectrum of a multilamellar (unsonicated) preparation of the extracted viral lipids exhibited a line shape similar to that of the intact virus. A sonicated vesicle preparation of the extracted viral lipids exhibited a narrow symmetric line. The narrow component in the intact virus spectrum may be attributed to small membrane fragments. Phospholipase C digestion of the intact virus resulted in substantial reduction in intensity of both components which suggests that much of the contribution to both peaks is due to phosphate in the phospholipid polar head groups.The phospholipid phosphates in both sonicated and unsonicated preparations of the extracted viral lipids exhibited substantially longer relaxation times than did those in the intact virus. The short relaxation time emanating from the intact virus preparation is caused by immobilization of the phospholipid head groups which could be due to lipid-protein interactions. Trypsin treatment of vesicular stomatitis virions, which results in complete removal of the exterior hydrophilic segment of the membrane glycoprotein, increased the ³¹P relaxation time to a value similar to that observed in the protein-free total lipid extracts; this finding provides supporting evidence for the role of virus glycoprotein in shortened relaxation times. A reversible temperature-dependent change in apparent line width and absence of an effect of cholesterol on the ³¹P phospholipid spectrum were also demonstrated.     

Biochemical and biophysical properties of flacherie virus of the silkworm

Flacherie virus of the silkworm (FVS) was extracted from diseased silkworms, both larvae and pupae, and purified by 15 to 30% sucrose density gradient centrifugation. FVS III and FVS IV, in addition to the FVS I and FVS II described in the previous paper (Himeno et al., 1974), were found. The FVS I, FVS III, and FVS IV showed the same mobility in 2.4% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and could not be distinguished from each other in the gel. However, the purified FVS II was separated into two bands, FVS IIa and FVS IIb, in 2.4% gel. FVS III was a spherical particle with a diameter of 28 ± 1 nm and showed a sedimentation coefficient of about 90 S. FVS III was easily decomposed into FVS IV which sedimented at about 30 S in sucrose gradient centrifugation. FVS I and FVS II each contained a single molecule of RNA which showed the same molecular weight. FVS I consisted of three polypeptides with molecular weights of 67,000, 50,000, and 33,000. FVS II consisted of 10 polypeptides; among them 2 polypeptides with molecular weights of 50,000 and 33,000 were also found. Labeling experiments with [³²P]orthophosphate revealed that FVS II was found at an early stage of infection and FVS I at a late stage. FVS II was also isolated at an early stage from silkworms infected with FVS II, and FVS I was found at a late stage in these silkworms. The correlation among FVS I, FVS II, FVS III, and FVS IV was discussed and it was suggested that they might be closely related to one another and that few particles in them were immature. It is possible that FVS II changes to FVS I via FVS III by cleavage of large polypeptides.