Classical swine fever virus non-structural protein 4B binds tank-binding kinase 1

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a contagious disease with a high mortality rate and is caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV). CSFV non-structural protein 4B (NS4B) plays a crucial role in CSFV replication and pathogenicity. However, precisely how NS4B exerts these functions remains unknown, especially as there are no reports relating to potential cellular partners of CSFV NS4B. Here, a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system was used to screen the cellular proteins interacting with NS4B from a porcine alveolar macrophage (PAM) cDNA library. The protein screen along with alignment using the NCBI database revealed 14 cellular proteins that interact with NS4B: DDX39B, COX7C, FTH1, MAVS, NR2F6, RPLP1, PSMC4, FGL2, MKRN1, RPL15, RPS3, RAB22A, TP53BP2 and TBK1. These proteins mostly relate to oxidoreductase activity, signal transduction, localization, biological regulation, catalytic activity, transport and metabolism by GO categories. Tank-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) was chosen for further confirmation. The NS4B-TBK1 interaction was further confirmed by subcellular co-location, co-immunoprecipitation and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays. This study offers a theoretical foundation for further understanding of the diversity of NS4B functions in relation to viral infection and subsequent pathogenesis.     

Cytopathogenic and noncytopathogenic RNA replicons of classical swine fever virus.

To determine the minimal requirements for autonomous RNA replication of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), genomes having in-frame deletions within the genes for structural and flanking nonstructural proteins were constructed, based on an infectious cDNA clone of CSFV Alfort/187. RNA was transcribed in vitro from the respective plasmids and transfected into SK-6 swine kidney cells. The replication competence of the RNA was determined by immunostaining transfected cells for CSFV NS3 protein and by analysis of cell extracts for viral RNA, as well as protein synthesis at different times after transfection. The genes encoding N(pro), C, E(rns), E1, E2, p7, and NS2 proved to be dispensable for RNA replication, but the efficiency of replication varied strongly between individual constructs. RNA replicons containing the complete NS2-NS3 gene persisted in transfected cells and continued to replicate without causing any obvious morphological or functional damage to the cells, whereas genomes lacking the NS2 gene replicated more efficiently and induced a cytopathic effect. These findings suggest that NS2, although it is not essential for pestivirus RNA replication, has a regulatory function therein. Both cytopathogenic and noncytopathogenic replicons were packaged into virus particles provided in trans by a cotransfected full-length helper virus genome.     

Genetic variation in the 5' end and NS5B regions of classical swine fever virus genome among Japanese isolates.

Sixteen clinical strains of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) isolated in Japan were subjected to analyses of nucleotide sequence variations in the 5' end and NS5B regions of the genome. These isolates were divided into three genovars, CSFV-1, CSFV-2 and CSFV-3, based on palindromic nucleotide substitutions at the three variable loci in the 5' untranslated region (UTR). Phylogenetic trees constructed from nucleotide sequences in the 5'-UTR and NS5B gene indicated that the CSFV strains were divided into three clusters, I, II and III. CSFV strains included in clusters I, II and III were identical to those in the CSFV-1, CSFV-2 and CSFV-3 genovars, respectively.     

Research Article: Autophagy enhances the replication of classical swine fever virus in vitro

Autophagy plays an important role in cellular responses to pathogens. However, the impact of the autophagy machinery on classical swine fever virus (CSFV) infection is not yet confirmed. In this study, we showed that CSFV infection significantly increases the number of autophagy-like vesicles in the cytoplasm of host cells at the ultrastructural level. We also found the formation of 2 ubiquitin-like conjugation systems upon virus infection, including LC3-I/LC3-II conversion and ATG12–ATG5 conjugation, which are considered important indicators of autophagy. Meanwhile, high expression of ATG5 and BECN1 was detected in CSFV-infected cells; conversely, degradation of SQSTM1 was observed by immunoblotting, suggesting that CSFV infection triggered a complete autophagic response, most likely by the NS5A protein. Furthermore, by confocal immunofluorescence analysis, we discovered that both envelope protein E2 and nonstructural protein NS5A colocalized with LC3 and CD63 during CSFV infection. Examination by immunoelectron microscopy further confirmed the colocalization of both E2 and NS5A proteins with autophagosome-like vesicles, indicating that CSFV utilizes the membranes of these vesicles for replication. Finally, we demonstrated that alteration of cellular autophagy by autophagy regulators and shRNAs affects progeny virus production. Collectively, these findings provide strong evidence that CSFV infection needs an autophagy pathway to enhance viral replication and maturity in host cells.     

猪瘟病毒C株共感染口蹄疫病毒影响口蹄疫病毒复制

【背景】猪瘟(Classical Swine Fever)是由猪瘟病毒(Classical Swine Fever Virus,CSFV)引起的猪高度接触性传染病,致死率极高。在临床中存在着CSFV与猪其他病原菌共感染的情况,例如CSFV与口蹄疫病毒(Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus,FMDV)的共感染。【目的】利用CSFV与FMDV共感染猪源宿主细胞,研究CSFV与FMDV共感染对FMDV病毒复制的影响。【方法】构建体外共感染细胞模型,在正常PK-15细胞上进行CSFV共感染FMDV实验,通过观察细胞病变效应(Cytopathic Effect,CPE)、实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)、Western Blot、间接免疫荧光检测CSFV和FMDV共感染及FMDV单独感染情况下FMDV复制水平的差异。利用RT-qPCR筛选鉴定能够影响FMDV复制的CSFV蛋白。【结果】CSFVC株共感染FMDV能够抑制FMDV的复制,而且灭活的CSFV同样抑制FMDV的复制。通过筛选鉴定出CSFV的C蛋白能够抑制FMDV复制。【结论】研究发现CSFV C株共感染FMDV能够抑制FMDV复制,而其C蛋白具有抑制FMDV复制的能力。     

Cytopathogenicity of classical Swine Fever virus correlates with attenuation in the natural host

For the important livestock pathogens classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), cytopathogenic (cp) and non-cp viruses are distinguished according to the induction of apoptosis in infected tissue culture cells. However, it is currently unknown whether cp CSFV differs from non-cp CSFV with regard to virulence in the acutely infected host. In this study, we generated helper virus-independent CSFV Alfort-Jiv, which encompasses sequences encoding domain Jiv-90 of cellular J-domain protein interacting with viral protein (Jiv). Expanding the knowledge of BVDV, our results suggest that Jiv acts as a regulating cofactor for the nonstructural (NS) protein NS2 autoprotease of CSFV and initiates NS2-3 cleavage in trans. For Alfort-Jiv, the resulting expression of large amounts of NS3 correlated with increased viral RNA synthesis and viral cytopathogenicity. Moreover, both cp Alfort-Jiv and the parental non-cp CSFV strain Alfort-p447 efficiently replicate in cell culture. Animal experiments demonstrated that in contrast to parental non-cp Alfort-p447, infection with cp Alfort-Jiv did not cause disease in pigs but induced high levels of neutralizing antibodies, thus elucidating that cp CSFV is highly attenuated in its natural host. In contrast to virulent Alfort-p447, the attenuated CSFV strain Alfort-Jiv induces the expression of cellular Mx protein in porcine PK-15 cells. Accordingly, the remarkable difference between cp and non-cp CSFV with regard to the ability to cause classical swine fever in pigs correlates with different effects of cp and non-cp CSFV on cellular antiviral defense mechanisms.     

Proteomic analysis of primary porcine endothelial cells after infection by classical swine fever virus

Endothelial cells are the main target of classical swine fever virus during infection, and extensive hemorrhage is the most typical clinical sign of classical swine fever. To investigate the molecular mechanism of hemorrhagic pathogenesis, two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis with fluorescent dyes (2D-DIGE) was used to analyze the proteomic profile of primary porcine umbilical vein endothelial cells (PUVECs) following CSFV infection. Of 15 protein spots with differential expression, 8 were characterized by MALDI-TOF-MS/MS in infected PUVECs at 48 h p.i.: moesin, peroxiredoxin 6, stathmin-1, a protein similar to nascent polypeptide-associated complex alpha subunit isoform 2, phosphoglycerate kinase 1, glucosidase II, transketolase and α-tubulin. These could be sorted into 5 functional groups: glycometabolism, cell proliferation, anti-oxidative stress, inflammatory response and cytoskeleton. Western blot and real-time RT-PCR analysis confirmed the down-regulation of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) and up-regulation of moesin identified by 2D-DIGE. Pathway analysis of these 15 differentially expressed proteins showed that CSFV infection altered the metabolism, cytoskeleton and cell proliferation of PUVECs, and that consequently an inflammatory response was induced.     

Real-time analysis of the interaction of a multiple-epitope peptide with antibodies against classical swine fever virus using surface plasmon resonance

The E2 envelope glycoprotein is the major immunodominant protein of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), and can induce neutralizing antibodies and protective immune responses in infected swine. We developed a tandem-repeat multiple-epitope recombinant protein that contains two copies of each of the regions of E2 spanned by residues 693-704, 770-780, and 826-843, coupled by two copies of the region spanned by residues 1446-1460 of the CSFV nonstructural protein NS2-3. The chemically synthesized gene was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion with glutathione S-8 (GST), named GST-BT21. After it was purified with Glutathione Sepharose 4B, we used Western blotting to characterize the construct and surface plasmon resonance to analyze its affinity and specific interaction with CSFV-positive serum. Purified GST-BT21 protein displayed excellent immunoreactivity with antiserum against CSFV (Tian et al., 2012), and surface plasmon resonance confirmed the specific affinity between BT21, but not GST, and antibodies in serum from animals infected with CSFV. Surface plasmon resonance is a sensitive and precise method for epitope evaluation, and it can be used to characterize the immunogenicity and functions of recombinant proteins.     

表达猪圆环病毒2型Cap蛋白的重组猪瘟兔化弱毒疫苗株的构建与鉴定

猪瘟(CSF)是由猪瘟病毒(CSFV)引起的一种毁灭性传染病,给养猪业造成重大经济损失。猪瘟兔化弱毒疫苗(C株)是一株非常安全、有效的优秀弱毒疫苗,对各年龄和品种的猪都极其安全,同时对不同基因亚型的CSFV均能提供有效的免疫保护。在现地,CSFV和猪圆环病毒2型(PCV2)混合感染的现象时常发生,有必要研制针对这两种病毒混合感染的二价疫苗。本研究首次构建了表达PCV2 Cap蛋白的重组C株,并评价了其在体内外的特性。结果表明,该重组病毒与C株具有相近的体外增殖特征,能够稳定表达Cap蛋白,在家兔体内具有与C株相似的生物学表型,在免疫家兔后10 d,抗CSFV E2抗体全部转阳,然而抗Cap抗体未能转阳。本研究为进一步优化表达PCV2Cap蛋白的重组C株奠定了基础。     

ADAM17 is an essential attachment factor for classical swine fever virus

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is an important pathogen in the swine industry. Virion attachment is mediated by envelope proteins E^rns and E2, and E2 is indispensable. Using a pull-down assay with soluble E2 as the bait, we demonstrated that ADAM17, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17, is essential for CSFV entry. Loss of ADAM17 in a permissive cell line eliminated E2 binding and viral entry, but compensation with pig ADAM17 cDNA completely rescued these phenotypes. Similarly, ADAM17 silencing in primary porcine fibroblasts significantly impaired virus infection. In addition, human and mouse ADAM17, which is highly homologous to pig ADAM17, also mediated CSFV entry. The metalloproteinase domain of ADAM17 bound directly to E2 protein in a zinc-dependent manner. A surface exposed region within this domain was mapped and shown to be critical for CSFV entry. These findings clearly demonstrate that ADAM17 serves as an essential attachment factor for CSFV.     

The expression of classical swine fever virus structural protein E2 gene in tobacco chloroplasts for applying chloroplasts as bioreactors

It has been reported that genes encoding antigens of bacterial and viral pathogens can be expressed in plants and are shown to induce protection antibodies. The structural protein E2 of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), which has been shown to carry critical epitopes, has been expressed in different systems. Here, we report the expression of CFSV E2 gene in tobacco chloroplasts. Mice immunized with leaf extracts elicited specific antibodies. This indicated that the expressed E2 proteins had a certain degree of immunogenicity. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing induction of protective antibody in response to classical swine fever virus (CSFV) by immunization with antigen protein E2 expressed in tobacco chloroplasts, which will open a new way to protection from CSFV by plant chloroplasts as bioreactors.     

猪瘟病毒E2(gp55)基因的克隆表达及其DNA疫苗的初步研究

用RTPCR方法从中国标准强毒株石门毒的细胞培养物中 扩增获得了其结构蛋白E2基因cDNA,将之克隆到pGEM5Z T载体,用双脱氧链终止法测定其核苷酸序列,并推导出其对应氨基酸序列,与几个代表毒株Alfort株、Brescia株和C株相应序列进行比较,所测核苷酸序列与各株的同源性分别为84.7%、92.6%和95.2%,氨基酸序列的同源性分别为89.4%,92.6%和94.6%;将此E2片段亚克隆至真核表达载体pcDNA3.1,构建表达CSFV E2蛋白的重组质粒pcE2,用脂质体转染法将pcE2导入cos7细胞进行瞬时表达,用针对E2蛋白的特异性单抗以间接免疫荧光法检测,结果E2蛋白在cos7细胞中获得了正确表达,随之将pcE2质粒DNA进行小鼠肌内接种免疫,ELISA法检测证实在免疫后2周和4 周的小鼠体内可诱导出较为明显的阳性血清,并高于E2单抗的阳性对照,病毒中和试验也表明DNA免疫后小鼠体内可诱导产生CSFV中和抗体;同时构建了能在昆虫细胞Sf9中表达GSTE2和GSTGFPE2融合蛋白的重组杆状病毒;上述研究结果为研制针对CSFV的DNA疫苗,亚单位疫苗及其诊断试剂打下了基础。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒NS3基因的序列分析、表达与抗原性鉴定

本研究应用套式RT-PCR方法扩增出牛病毒性腹泻病毒VEDEVAC株编码NS3蛋白的基因,克隆至表达载体pET-30a(+),并进行测序。对瘟病毒属病毒NS3基因进行氨基酸差异性分析,显示平均P-distance为0.07,系统进化树分析表明VEDEVAC株隶属于BVDV1型。将构建成功的重组质粒转化大肠埃希氏菌Rosetta(DE3),在IPTG诱导下表达NS3重组蛋白,经Ni-NTA亲和层析纯化和尿素梯度透析后进行反应原性鉴定。Western blotting结果显示表达的重组蛋白可以与牛病毒性腹泻病毒阳性血清反应,并与猪瘟阳性血清有交叉反应,ELISA结果显示该重组蛋白具有良好的反应原性。所获得的蛋白为建立针对NS3抗体的ELISA检测方法奠定了基础。     

Selection of classical swine fever virus with enhanced pathogenicity reveals synergistic virulence determinants in E2 and NS4B

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is the causative agent of classical swine fever (CSF), a highly contagious disease of pigs. There are numerous CSFV strains that differ in virulence, resulting in clinical disease with different degrees of severity. Low-virulent and moderately virulent isolates cause a mild and often chronic disease, while highly virulent isolates cause an acute and mostly lethal hemorrhagic fever. The live attenuated vaccine strain GPE(-) was produced by multiple passages of the virulent ALD strain in cells of swine, bovine, and guinea pig origin. With the aim of identifying the determinants responsible for the attenuation, the GPE(-) vaccine virus was readapted to pigs by serial passages of infected tonsil homogenates until prolonged viremia and typical signs of CSF were observed. The GPE(-)/P-11 virus isolated from the tonsils after the 11th passage in vivo had acquired 3 amino acid substitutions in E2 (T830A) and NS4B (V2475A and A2563V) compared with the virus before passages. Experimental infection of pigs with the mutants reconstructed by reverse genetics confirmed that these amino acid substitutions were responsible for the acquisition of pathogenicity. Studies in vitro indicated that the substitution in E2 influenced virus spreading and that the changes in NS4B enhanced the viral RNA replication. In conclusion, the present study identified residues in E2 and NS4B of CSFV that can act synergistically to influence virus replication efficiency in vitro and pathogenicity in pigs.     

Time-Calibrated Phylogenomics of the Classical Swine Fever Viruses: Genome-Wide Bayesian Coalescent Approach

The phylogeny of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), the causative agent of classical swine fever (CSF), has been investigated extensively. However, no evolutionary research has been performed using the whole CSFV genome. In this study, we used 37 published genome sequences to investigate the time-calibrated phylogenomics of CSFV. In phylogenomic trees based on Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum likelihood (ML), the 37 isolates were categorized into five genetic types (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, and 3.4). Subgenotype 1.1 is divided into 3 groups and 1 unclassified isolate, 2.1 into 4 groups, 2.3 into 2 groups and 1 unclassified isolate, and subgenotype 1.2 and 3.4 consisted of one isolate each. We did not observe an apparent temporal or geographical relationship between isolates. Of the 14 genomic regions, NS4B showed the most powerful phylogenetic signal. Results of this evolutionary study using Bayesian coalescent approach indicate that CSFV has evolved at a rate of 13×.010^-4 substitutions per site per year. The most recent common ancestor of CSFV appeared 2770.2 years ago, which was about 8000 years after pig domestication. The effective population size of CSFV underwent a slow increase until the 1950s, after which it has remained constant.     

针对猪瘟病毒E2蛋白的嵌合猪源化单克隆抗体的表达及抗病毒活性鉴定

猪瘟(Classical swine fever,CSF)是严重危害养猪业的一种烈性传染病,常造成巨大的经济损失,是世界动物卫生组织要求必须申报的动物疫病之一。猪瘟的病原是猪瘟病毒(Classical swine fever virus,CSFV),CSFV的结构蛋白由衣壳蛋白(C)和囊膜糖蛋白(E~(rns)、E1、E2)构成。E2蛋白是CSFV主要的保护性抗原,可以诱导机体产生中和抗体,从而抵抗CSFV的感染。此前,本团队制备了一株针对CSFV E2蛋白的鼠源单克隆抗体HQ06。文中将HQ06抗体重链和轻链可变区基因与猪源恒定区基因嵌合后克隆至真核表达载体,利用中国仓鼠卵巢(CHO)细胞制备一株针对CSFV E2蛋白的嵌合猪源化单克隆抗体c HQ06。应用ELISA、Western blotting试验证实了c HQ06与CSFV E2蛋白具有良好的反应性;中和试验结果表明c HQ06可以中和CSFV。综上所述,本研究应用CHO细胞稳定表达了具有良好反应性和中和活性的针对CSFV E2蛋白的嵌合猪源化单克隆抗体c HQ06,为研究CSFV E2蛋白结构、功能以及开发新型的CSFV诊断和治疗制剂奠定基础。     

小鼠FANCL抗体制备及组织表达谱分析

FANCL是一个范可尼氏贫血新蛋白,它作为泛素E3连接酶催化FANCD2的单一泛素化,在修复DNA损伤、维持染色体稳定的FA途径中起着关键作用。胚胎期FANCL与小鼠原始生殖细胞增殖密切相关,成年睾丸中FANCL与几个生殖细胞特异性蛋白形成一个睾丸特异网络,可能参与影响精子的生成。采用RT-PCR方法从小鼠总RNA中扩增克隆FancL全长cDNA片段,构建表达质粒,在大肠杆菌中表达了6His-FANCL蛋白,用表达蛋白作为抗原免疫新西兰白兔制备了抗FANCL多抗血清。采用镍离子金属螯合柱纯化6His-FANCL蛋白后,通过与活性基团-NHS交联制备了FANCL抗原柱,亲和纯化了FANCL多抗。为了验证抗体活性和特异性,在HEK293T细胞中瞬时表达了HA-FANCL融合蛋白,分别用HA单抗和纯化多抗进行Western印迹分析,结果表明获得了特异性的FANCL抗体。为了观察FANCL在组织中的表达谱,制备了多种小鼠组织匀浆蛋白,使用纯化的FANCL多抗进行Western印迹分析,在脑、心、肺、肝、脾、肾、睾丸、卵巢、子宫和肌肉组织中都检测到FANCL蛋白的表达,说明FANCL在小鼠组织中是广泛表达的,这与其是DNA修复复合物中的重要成员相一致。     

猪瘟病毒Core蛋白核仁定位序列鉴定

黄病毒科病毒核衣壳蛋白的核仁定位在病毒颗粒包装与病毒复制中发挥重要作用。为鉴定黄病毒科的猪瘟病毒Core蛋白核仁定位序列,本研究构建了将Core蛋白、截短突变体和氨基酸位点突变体分别与增强型绿色荧光蛋白(enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP )融合的真核表达质粒,转染至PK15细胞后进行表达和定位分析,结果显示 Core蛋白核仁定位序列为PESRKKL,其关键氨基酸为R76K77,对理解猪瘟病毒Core蛋白结构与功能和为后续研究Core蛋白在病毒复制及颗粒包装中的作用有重要意义。     

Generation of Mouse FANCL Antibody and Analysis of FANCL Protein Expression Profile in Mouse Tissues

Fanconi anemia complementation group L (FANCL) is a novel Fanconi anemia protein, which mono-ubiquitinates FANCD2 as a ubiquitin E3 ligase, and plays a crucial role in DNA damage repair and chromosome stability maintenance. FANCL is involved in the proliferation of primordial germ cells (PGC) in early embryonic stages, and may play a role in the development of germ cells by forming a novel testis-specific network with testis-specific proteins in the adult testis. FancL cDNA sequence was cloned by RT-PCR from mouse testis total RNA, and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). Rabbit FANCL polyclonal antiserum was generated using the recombinant protein as the antigen. To prepare an antigen column for affinity purification of FANCL-specific antibody, recombinant His-tagged FANCL was purified by Ni²⁺-charged HiTrap Chelating HP column and coupled to an NHS-activated HiTrap column. To confirm the activity and specificity of the FANCL antibody, we constructed plasmid pCMV-HA/FANCL to transfect HEK 293T cells. Transiently expressed HA-FANCL fusion protein was analyzed by immunoblotting with both the FANCL antibody and HA monoclonal antibody. The antibody was used in Western blotting to check the expression of FANCL protein in mouse tissues. We found wide expression of FANCL in brain, muscle, heart, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, testis, ovary and uterus, indicating the functional importance of this novel protein.