Duplex shuttle PCR for differential diagnosis of budgerigar fledgling disease and psittacine beak and feather disease

Two common viral diseases in psittacine birds including budgerigar fledgling disease (BFD), generally called avian polyomavirus (APV) infection, and psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) have similar clinical manifestations characterized by feather disorders. A duplex shuttle PCR was developed for detection of APV and PBFD virus (PBFDV). Two pairs of oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify a 298-bp fragment of the t/T antigen region of APV genome and a 495-bp fragment of the capsid protein region encoded by open reading frame (ORF) C1 of PBFDV genome, respectively. In the present study, APV and PBFDV were detected simultaneously in one tube by duplex shuttle PCR using these two pairs of primers. The detection limits were 2 viral copies of APV and 3 viral copies of PBFDV. In the clinical application, we detected 16 APV-positive, 15 PBFDV-positive, and 3 mixed infected samples in 39 samples examined. Sequences of the amplified products were read. The t/T antigen region was conserved in the APV-positive samples as expected. ORF C1 of PBFDV genome showed diversity. Phylogenic analysis indicated that PBFDV ORF C1 consisted of 6 clusters which were related to subfamilies of psittacine birds. Our duplex shuttle PCR could be a useful method for differential diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of BFD and PBFD.     

Evidence of unique genotypes of beak and feather disease virus in southern Africa

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is the most significant infectious disease in psittacines. PBFD is thought to have originated in Australia but is now found worldwide; in Africa, it threatens the survival of the indigenous endangered Cape parrot and the vulnerable black-cheeked lovebird. We investigated the genetic diversity of putative BFDVs from southern Africa. Feathers and heparinized blood samples were collected from 27 birds representing 9 psittacine species, all showing clinical signs of PBFD. DNA extracted from these samples was used for PCR amplification of the putative BFDV coat protein (CP) gene. The nucleotide sequences of the CP genes of 19 unique BFDV isolates were determined and compared with the 24 previously described sequences of BFDV isolates from Australasia and America. Phylogenetic analysis revealed eight BFDV lineages, with the southern African isolates representing at least three distinctly unique genotypes; 10 complete genome sequences were determined, representing at least one of every distinct lineage. The nucleotide diversity of the southern African isolates was calculated to be 6.4% and is comparable to that found in Australia and New Zealand. BFDVs in southern Africa have, however, diverged substantially from viruses found in other parts of the world, as the average distance between the southern African isolates and BFDV isolates from Australia ranged from 8.3 to 10.8%. In addition to point mutations, recombination was found to contribute substantially to the level of genetic variation among BFDVs, with evidence of recombination in all but one of the genomes analyzed.     

Comparison of the structures of three circoviruses: chicken anemia virus, porcine circovirus type 2, and beak and feather disease virus

Circoviruses are small, nonenveloped icosahedral animal viruses characterized by circular single-stranded DNA genomes. Their genomes are the smallest possessed by animal viruses. Infections with circoviruses, which can lead to economically important diseases, frequently result in virus-induced damage to lymphoid tissue and immunosuppression. Within the family Circoviridae, different genera are distinguished by differences in genomic organization. Thus, Chicken anemia virus is in the genus Gyrovirus, while porcine circoviruses and Beak and feather disease virus belong to the genus CIRCOVIRUS: Little is known about the structures of circoviruses. Accordingly, we investigated the structures of these three viruses with a view to determining whether they are related. Three-dimensional maps computed from electron micrographs showed that all three viruses have a T=1 organization with capsids formed from 60 subunits. Porcine circovirus type 2 and beak and feather disease virus show similar capsid structures with flat pentameric morphological units, whereas chicken anemia virus has stikingly different protruding pentagonal trumpet-shaped units. It thus appears that the structures of viruses in the same genus are related but that those of viruses in different genera are unrelated.     

The capsid protein of beak and feather disease virus binds to the viral DNA and is responsible for transporting the replication-associated protein into the nucleus

Circoviruses lack an autonomous DNA polymerase and are dependent on the replication machinery of the host cell for de novo DNA synthesis. Accordingly, the viral DNA needs to cross both the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope before replication can occur. Here we report on the subcellular distribution of the beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) capsid protein (CP) and replication-associated protein (Rep) expressed via recombinant baculoviruses in an insect cell system and test the hypothesis that the CP is responsible for transporting the viral genome, as well as Rep, across the nuclear envelope. The intracellular localization of the BFDV CP was found to be directed by three partially overlapping bipartite nuclear localization signals (NLSs) situated between residues 16 and 56 at the N terminus of the protein. Moreover, a DNA binding region was also mapped to the N terminus of the protein and falls within the region containing the three putative NLSs. The ability of CP to bind DNA, coupled with the karyophilic nature of this protein, strongly suggests that it may be responsible for nuclear targeting of the viral genome. Interestingly, whereas Rep expressed on its own in insect cells is restricted to the cytoplasm, coexpression with CP alters the subcellular localization of Rep to the nucleus, strongly suggesting that an interaction with CP facilitates movement of Rep into the nucleus.     

Diversity in the monosaccharide composition of antigenic polysaccharides from proteobacteria Pseudoalteromonas and Marinomonas genera]

The sugar analysis of the glycans of the type strains of marine proteobacteria of the genera Pseudoalteromonas and Marinomonas--Pseudoalteromonas atlantica IAM12927T, P. aurantia NCIMB 2033T, P. citrea ATCC 29719T, P. elyakovii KMM 162T, P. espejiana ATCC 29659T, P. piscicida NCIMB 645T, P. tetraodonis IAM 14160T, Marinomonas communis ATCC 27118T, and M. vaga ATCC 27119T--showed that they contain glucose, galactose, galactosamine, glucosamine, fucose, rhamnose, mannose, heptose, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate (KDO), uronic acids, colitose (3,6-dideoxyl-L-xylo-hexose), and 6-deoxy-L-talose. The carbohydrate composition of the antigenic polysaccharides (PSs) of P. elyakovii KMM 162T and P. espejiana ATCC 29659T depended on the type and the concentration of carbohydrate substrates in the nutrient media. The molar proportion between rhamnose, glucose, and galactose (ca. 1:0.3:2) in the PS of P. elyakovii KMM 162T was almost the same in the media lacking carbohydrates or containing glucose or galactose at a concentration of 1 g/l. At the same time, the molar proportion between fucose, glucose, galactose, galactosamine, and glucosamine (ca. 1:1:1:2:0.5) in the PS of P. espejiana ATCC 29659T depended on the presence and the concentration of carbohydrate substrates in the medium. A high concentration of glucose in the medium (30 g/l) brought about a rise in the content of glucose in PSs (9-fold for the PS of P. elyakovii KMM 162T and 4.6-fold for the PS of P. espejiana ATCC 29659T) and led to a decrease in the content of other carbohydrates. The cultivation of these two strains at a lactose concentration of 30 g/l resulted in their PSs containing glucose and galactose in about equal proportions (ca. 1:1 in the case of P. espejiana ATCC 29659T and ca. 2.1:1.7 in the case of P. elyakovii KMM 162T).     

Subunit composition of the purified dihydropyridine binding protein from skeletal muscle

The dihydropyridine (DHP) receptor from rabbit skeletal muscle has been characterized by affinity labeling and purification. Two procedures were used for purification: one that was a procedure modified from that of Curtis and Catterall (1984) and one that employed an anti alpha 1 monoclonal antibody (Mab) affinity column. In addition, both digitonin and CHAPS solubilizations were utilized with each purification technique. The major findings are as follows: (1) In contrast to the behavior in digitonin, neither the 52K (beta) nor the 140K (alpha 2) polypeptide quantitatively copurifies with the 170K (alpha 1) polypeptide when the purification is carried out in CHAPS. This has been shown by use of both wheat germ and monoclonal antibody columns. The digitonin-extracted receptor complex bound to the Mab affinity column loses alpha 2 and beta when the digitonin is replaced by CHAPS, and when the complex is bound to a WGA column, a CHAPS wash causes dissociation of alpha 1, beta, and gamma from alpha 2. Loss of binding of dihydropyridines occurs with the CHAPS wash but can be partially restored by the addition of the CHAPS wash to the material eluted from the column with N-acetylglucosamine. (2) Although both detergents solubilized greater than 80% of the polypeptides associated with the DHP binding site, the ability of these proteins to bind dihydropyridines is reduced more by CHAPS treatment than by digitonin treatment, raising the possibility that subunit interactions contribute to high-affinity binding. Alternatively, CHAPS may remove tightly bound lipids necessary for binding or cause irreversible denaturation of the binding site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Detection of foot-and-mouth virus antibodies using a purified protein from the high-level expression of codon-optimized, foot-and-mouth disease virus complex epitopes in Escherichia coli

A codon optimized DNA sequence coding for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid protein complex epitopes of VP1 amino acid residues 21-40, 135-160, and 200-213 was genetically fused to the C-terminal end of a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) gene in pGEX-6P-1 vector with the synonymous codons preferred by Escherichia coli . The gene was synthesized using PCR and subsequently expressed in E. coli producing an intracellular, soluble fusion protein that retained antigenicity associated with FMDV antibodies by western blot analysis. The chimera was purified from bacterial lysates by affinity chromatography and could be used in ELISA tests for antibodies against FMDV.     

Chemosystematic comparison of essential oils from eight species of four genera of the New Zealand Apiaceae

The composition of the essential oils from the seeds of eight species and the leaves of two species of the New Zealand Apiaceae was determined. Gingidia and Scandia species provided seed oils in high yield (>6%) that contained high proportions of phenylpropanoids. Anisotome haastii provided an oil in moderate yield (1.7%), over half of which was comprised of monoterpenoids and no phenylpropanoids. The four Aciphylla species afforded seed essential oils in low yield (0.5%). Three of these contained neither terpenoids nor phenylpropanoids, but contained fatty acids instead. The oil from Aciphylla squarrosa was different as it contained an abundance of phenylpropanoids. The composition of the leaf essential oils of Scandia rosifolia and Gingidia montana differed significantly from those of the corresponding seed oils. Outstandingly, the seed essential oil of G. montana contained 62% estragole and that of Scandia geniculata contained 79% dill apiole. The results of this present work support the conclusions of Mitchell et al. (1998), about the taxonomy of these genera that were drawn from their work with ribosomal DNA sequences viz., that the Gingidia and Scandia genera were closely related to each other and that the Anisotome and Aciphylla genera were not closely related to each other, but were weakly related to the Gingidia and Scandia genera.     

The major antigenic protein of infectious bursal disease virus, VP2, is an apoptotic inducer.

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is the causative agent of an economically important poultry disease. Vaccinia virus recombinants expressing the IBDV mature structural capsid proteins VP2 and VP3 were generated by using vectors for inducible gene expression. Characterization of these recombinant viruses demonstrated that expression of VP2 leads to induction of apoptosis in a variety of mammalian cell lines. Transfection of cell cultures with a expression vector containing the VP2 coding region under the control of the immediate-early promoter-enhancer region of human cytomegalovirus also triggers programmed cell death. The apoptotic effect of VP2 is efficiently counteracted by coexpression of the proto-oncogene bcl-2. The results presented demonstrate that VP2 is a bona fide apoptotic inducer. Evaluation of the significance of this finding for the virus life cycle must await further research.     

Identification of a protein kinase activity in purified foot- and-mouth disease virus.

Purified preparations of foot-and-mouth disease virus types A, O, and C contain a protein kinase activity which can transfer the gamma phosphate of [32P]ATP to virion structural proteins VP2 and VP3 and exogenous acceptor proteins. Utilizing protamine sulfate as an acceptor, the kinase activity can be demonstrated in disrupted virus but not in intact virus. The enzyme is heat labile with optimal activity at pH 7 or greater. Serine residues of protamine sulfate were identified as the amino acid phosphorylated by the protein kinase. Treatment of purified virus with trypsin, which cleaves VP3, did not affect the protein kinase activity. The results indicate that the protein kinase activity found in FMDV is present in an internally located protein of viral or host origin.     

Enrichment of anaerobic heterotrophic thermophiles from four Azorean hot springs revealed different community composition and genera abundances using recalcitrant substrates

DGGE analysis combined with a metagenomic approach was used to get insights into heterotrophic anoxic enrichment cultures of four hot springs of Vale das Furnas, Portugal, using the recalcitrant substrate spent coffee ground (SCG). Parallel enrichment cultures were performed using the major components of spent coffee ground, namely arabinogalactan, galactomannan, cellulose, and proteins. DGGE revealed that heterotrophic thermophilic bacteria are highly abundant in the hydrothermal springs and significant differences in community composition depending on the substrate were observed. DNA, isolated from enrichment cultures of different locations that were grown on the same substrate were pooled, and the respective metagenomes were analyzed. Results indicated that cultures grown on recalcitrant substrate SCG consists of a totally different thermophilic community, dominated by Dictyoglomus. Enrichments with galactomannan and arabinogalactan were dominated by Thermodesulfovibrio, while cultures with casein and cellulose were dominated by Thermus. This study indicates the high potential of thermophilic bacteria degrading recalcitrant substrate such as SCG and furthermore how the accessibility to complex polymers shapes the bacterial community.

     

Evaluation of the antigenic variation within type-A foot and mouth disease virus isolates from Asia

The serological interrelationships among 17 type A FMD virus strains from eight Asian countries were studied by the two-dimensional microneutralization test. Complex direct and indirect relationships were observed. Overall, however, the virus strains studied could be classified as belonging to the A22 group on the basis of r value differentiation at P less than 0.01.     

Characterization of a low molecular weight antigenic protein from the envelope of influenza virus

Eckert, Edward A. (The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). Characterization of a low molecular weight antigenic protein from the envelope of influenza virus. J. Bacteriol. 92:1430-1434. 1966.-An antigenic protein from the lipid-extracted residue of influenza virus strain PR8 was solubilized with urea-dithiothreitol (DTT). The protein subunits had a sedimentation coefficient of 2S in urea-DTT and reassociated to a 4S state on dialysis. This form of the envelope protein did not agglutinate erythrocytes, but reacted with strain-specific antisera in the complement-fixation and blocking-antigen tests.