Baculoviruses as Vectors in Mammalian Cells

The Baculoviridae are a large family of enveloped DNA viruses exclusively pathogenic to arthropods. Baculoviruses have been extensively used in insect cell-based recombinant protein expression system and as biological pesticides. They have been deomostrated to be safe to mammals, birds and fish. Recently, baculoviruses has been shown to transduce different mammalian cells in spite of the fact that they cannot replicate in mammalian cells (11, 73, 76). This has resulted in the development of baculoviruses as mammalian expression systems and even as vestors for gene therapy.     

Current Status of Deltabaculoviruses, Cypoviruses and Chloriridoviruses Pathogenic for Mosquitoes

There are a variety of viral pathogens that cause disease in mosquitoes with most belonging to three major groups. The most common viruses of mosquitoes are the baculoviruses (DBVs) (Baculoviridae: Deltabaculovirus), cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses (CPVs) (Reoviridae: Cypovirus) and the iridoviruses (MIVs) (Iridoviridae: Chloriridovirus). Baculoviruses and iridoviruses are DNA viruses while cypoviruses are the main RNA viruses in mosquitoes. This review presents an overview of the current status and recent advancements in understanding the biology and molecular features of mosquito pathogenic viruses.     

Ascovirus and its Evolution

Ascoviruses, iridoviruses, asfarviruses and poxviruses are all cytoplasmic DNA viruses. The evolutionary origins of cytoplasmic DNA viruses have never been fully addressed. Morphological, genetic and molecular data were used to test if all four cytoplasmic virus families (Ascoviridae, Iridoviridae, Asfarviridae, and Poxvirirdae) evolved from nuclear replicating baculoviruses and how the four virus groups are related. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using DNA polymerase predicted that cytoplasmic DNA viruses might have evolved from nuclear replicating baculoviruses, and that poxviruses and asfarviruses share a common ancestor with iridoviruses. These three cytoplasmic viruses again shared a common ancestor with ascoviruses. Morphological and genetic data predicted the same evolutionary trend as molecular data predicted. A genome sequence comparison showed that ascoviruses have more baculovirus protein homologues than do iridoviruses, which suggested that ascoviruses have evolved from baculoviruses and iridoviruses evolved from ascoviruses. Poxviruses showed genetic and morphological similarity to other cytoplamic viruses, such as ascoviruses, suggesting it has undergone reticulate evolution via hybridization, recombination and lateral gene transfer with other viruses. Within the ascovirus family, we tested if molecular phylogenetic analyses agree with biological inference; that is, ascovirus had an evolutionary trend of increasing genome size, expanding host range and widening tissue tropism for these viruses. Both molecular and biological data predicted this evolutionary trend. The phylogenetic relationship among the four species of ascovirus was predicted to be that TnAV-2 and HvAV-3 shared a common ancestor with SfAV-1 and the three virus species again shared a common ancestor with DpAV-4.     

Functional Characterization of the Group Ⅰ Alphabaculovirus Specific Gene ac73

Baculoviridae is a family of large DNA viruses that specifically infect insects. It contains four genera, Alpha-, Beta-,Gamma-, and Deltabaculovirus. Alphabaculovirus is further divided into Group I and II, and Group I appears to be emerged most recently among all baculoviruses. Interestingly, there are 12 Group I specific genes that are only found in this lineage. Studying these genes is helpful to understand how baculoviruses evolved. Here, we reported the functional analyzing results of ac73, a function unknown Group I specific gene of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus(Ac MNPV) which is the type species of baculovirus. The AC73 protein encoded by ac73 was found to be expressed during the late stage of infection and incorporated into the nucleocapsids of budded virus(BV) and occlusionderived virus(ODV). In infected cells, AC73 resided mainly in the ring zone region of the nucleus, and appeared to be assembled into occlusion bodies(OBs). The ac73 knockout and repaired viruses were constructed and studied by in vitro and in vivo infection. Although ac73 was not essential for BV and ODV or OB formation, the BV titer and viral infectivity in insect larvae of ac73 knockout Ac MNPV decreased by about 5–8 and 3–4 fold compared to those of wild type virus,respectively, suggesting ac73 contributed to infectious BV production and viral infectivity in vivo. This research provides new insight into the function of this Group I specific gene.     

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 Clade 2.3.2.1c virus in migratory birds,2014–2015

A novel Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortant virus caused several outbreaks in wild birds in some regions of China from late 2014 to 2015.Based on the genetic and phylogenetic analyses,the viruses possess a stable gene constellation with a Clade 2.3.2.1c HA,a H9N2-derived PB2 gene and the other six genes of Asian H5N1-origin.The Clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 reassortants displayed a high genetic relationship to a human H5N1 strain(A/Alberta/01/2014).Further analysis showed that similar viruses have been circulating in wild birds in China,Russia,Dubai(Western Asia),Bulgaria and Romania(Europe),as well as domestic poultry in some regions of Africa.The affected areas include the Central Asian,East Asian-Australasian,West Asian-East African,and Black Sea/Mediterranean flyways.These results show that the novel Clade 2.3.2.1c reassortant viruses are circulating worldwide and may have gained a selective advantage in migratory birds,thus posing a serious threat to wild birds and potentially humans.     

Newly discovered insect RNA viruses in China

Insects are a group of arthropods and the largest group of animals on Earth,with over one million species described to date.Like other life forms,insects suffer from viruses that cause disease and death.Viruses that are pathogenic to beneficial insects cause dramatic economic losses on agriculture.In contrast,viruses that are pathogenic to insect pests can be exploited as attractive biological control agents.All of these factors have led to an explosion in the amount of research into insect viruses in recent years,generating impressive quantities of information on the molecular and cellular biology of these viruses.Due to the wide variety of insect viruses,a better understanding of these viruses will expand our overall knowledge of their virology.Here,we review studies of several newly discovered RNA insect viruses in China.     

Host permissiveness to baculovirus in flue nces time-dependent immune responses and fitness costs

Insects possess specific immune responses to protect themselves from different types of pathogens.Activation of immune cascades can inflict significant developmental costs on the surviving host.To characterize infection kinetics in a surviving host that experiences baculovirus inoculation,it is crucial to determine the timing of immune responses.Here,we investigated time-dependent immune responses and developmental costs elicited by inoculations from each of two wild-type baculoviruses,Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus(AcMNPV)and Helicoverpa zea single nucleopolyhedrovirus(HzSNPV),in their common host H.zea.As H.zea is a semi-permissive host of AcMNPV and fully permissive to HzSNPV,we hypothesized there are differential immune responses and fitness costs associated with resisting infection by each virus species.Newly molted 4th-instar larvae that were inoculated with a low dose(LD15)of either virus showed signify icantly higher hemolymph FAD-glucose dehydrogenase(GLD)activities compared to the corresponding control larvae.Hemolymph phenoloxidase(PO)activity,protein concentration and total hemocyte numbers were not increased,but instead were lower than in control larvae at some time points post-inoculation.Larvae that survived either virus inoculation exhibited reduced pupal weight;survivors inoculated with AcMNPV grew slower than the control larvae,while survivors of HzSNPV pupated earlier than control larvae.Our results highlight the complexity of immune responses and fitness costs associated with combating different baculoviruses.     

Molecular Epidemiological Investigation of Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus and Taura Syndrome Virus in Penaeus Vannamei Cultured in China

The Infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus(IHHNV) and Taura syndrome virus(TSV) are two important shrimp viruses in cultured shrimp in America.These two viruses were transmitted to China at the beginning of the 21st century.In this study,214 shrimp samples of Penaeus vannamei were collected from seven different areas of China and tested by PCR for IHHNV and TSV infection.The results showed that there were a high prevalence of IHHNV(65.42%) and low prevalence of TSV(3.27%) in the tested samples.Several samples were found to be co-infected with these two viruses.A 3 kb fragment of 7 positive IHHNV samples and a structure protein region(ORF2) of three TSV positive samples were amplified and sequenced.The sequence comparison indicated that both IHHNV and TSV sequenced in China have a low genetic variations compared with the prototype IHHNV and TSV from Hawaii.Phylogenetic analysis showed that TSV isolates were clustered into two groups,Asia and America group,which was genetically correlated to geographic distribution.     

Enlarged fins of Tibetan catfish provide new evidence of adaptation to high plateau

The uplift of the Tibetan Plateau significantly altered the geomorphology and climate of the Euroasia by creating large mountains and rivers. Fishes are more likely to be affected relative to other organisms, as they are largely restricted to river systems. Faced with the rapidly flowing water in the Tibetan Plateau, a group of catfish has evolved greatly enlarged pectoral fins with more numbers of fin-rays to form an adhesive apparatus. However, the genetic basis of these adaptations in Tibetan...     

Knockouts of RecA-Like Proteins RadC1 and RadC2 Have Distinct Responses to DNA Damage Agents in Sulfolobus islandicus

RecA family recombinases play essential roles in maintaining genome integrity. A group of RecA-like proteins named RadC are present in all archaea, but their in vivo functions remain unclear. In this study, we performed phylogenetic and genetic analysis of two RadC proteins from Sulfolobus islandicus. RadC is closer to the KaiC lineage of cyanobacteria and proteobacteria than to the lineage of the recombinases （RecA, RadA, and Rad51） and the recombinase paralogs （e.g., RadB, Rad55, and Rad51B）. Using the recently- established S. islandicus genetic system, we constructed deletion and over-expression strains of radC1 and radC2. Deletion of radC1 rendered the cells more sensitive to DNA damaging agents, methyl methanesulfonate （MMS）, hydroxyurea （HU）, and ultraviolet （UV） radiation, than the wild type, and a AradCIAradC2 double deletion strain was more sensitive to cisplatin and MMS than the AradC1 single deletion mutant. In addition, ectopic expression of His-tagged RadC 1 revealed that RadC I was co-purified with a putative structure-specific nuclease and ATPase, which is highly conserved in archaea. Our results indicate that both RadCI and RadC2 are involved in DNA repair. RadCl may play a general or primary role in DNA repair, while RadC2 plays a role in DNA repair in response to specific DNA damages.     

Nudivirus genomics: Diversity and classification

Nudiviruses represent a diverse group of arthropod specific, rod-shaped and dsDNA viruses. Due to similarities in pathology and morphology to members of the family Baculoviridae, they have been previously classified as the so-called “non-occluded” baculoviruses. However, presently they are taxonomically orphaned and are not assigned to any virus family because of the lack of genetic relatedness to Baculoviridae,. Here, we report on recent progress in the genomic analysis of Heliothis zea nudivirus 1 (HzNV-1), Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV), Gryllus bimaculatus nudivirus (GbNV) and Heliotis zea nudivirus 2 (HzNV-2). Gene content comparison and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the viruses share 15 core genes with baculoviruses and form a monophyletic sister group to them. Consequences of the genetic relationship are discussed for the classification of nudiviruses. Foundation item: the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) to J.A.J (Je245-7).     

Origin and evolution of polydnaviruses by symbiogenesis of insect DNA viruses in endoparasitic wasps

During oviposition, many endoparasitic wasps inject virus-like particles into their insect hosts that enable these parasitoids to evade or directly suppress their hosts' immune system, especially encapsulation by hemocytes. These particles are defined as virions that belong to viruses of the two genera that comprise the family Polydnaviridae, bracoviruses (genus Bracovirus) transmitted by braconid wasps, and ichnoviruses (genus Ichnovirus) transmitted by ichneumonid wasps. Structurally, bracovirus virions resemble nudivirus and baculovirus virions (family Baculoviridae), and ichnovirus virions resemble those of ascoviruses (family Ascoviridae). Whereas nudiviruses, baculoviruses and ascoviruses replicate their DNA and produce progeny virions, polydnavirus DNA is integrated into and replicated from the wasp genome, which also directs virion synthesis. The structural similarity of polydnavirus virions to those of viruses that attack the wasps' lepidopteran hosts, along with polydnavirus transmission and replication biology, suggest that these viruses evolved from insect DNA viruses by symbiogenesis, the same process by which mitochondia and chloroplasts evolved from bacteria. Molecular evidence supporting this hypothesis comes from similarities among structural proteins of ascoviruses and the Campoletis sonorensis ichnovirus. Implications of this hypothesis are that polydnaviruses evolved from viruses, but are no longer viruses, and that DNA packaged into polydnavirus virions is not viral genomic DNA per se, but rather wasp genomic DNA consisting primarily of wasp genes and non-coding DNA. Thus, we suggest that a better understanding of polydnaviruses would result by viewing these not as viruses, but rather as a wasp organelle system that evolved to shuttle wasp genes and proteins into hosts to evade and suppress their immune response.     

Current status of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deltabaculoviruses,Cypoviruses</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chloriridoviruses</Emphasis> pathogenic for mosquitoes

There are a variety of viral pathogens that cause disease in mosquitoes with most belonging to three major groups. The most common viruses of mosquitoes are the baculoviruses (DBVs) (Baculoviridae: Deltabaculovirus), cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses (CPVs) (Reoviridae: Cypovirus) and the iridoviruses (MIVs) (Iridoviridae: Chloriridovirus). Baculoviruses and iridoviruses are DNA viruses while cypoviruses are the main RNA viruses in mosquitoes. This review presents an overview of the current status and recent advancements in understanding the biology and molecular features of mosquito pathogenic viruses.      

Current Status of Deltabaculoviruses, Cypoviruses and Chloriridoviruses Pathogenic for Mosquitoes

There are a variety of viral pathogens that cause disease in mosquitoes with most belonging to three major groups. The most common viruses of mosquitoes are the baculoviruses (DBVs) (Baculoviridae: Deltabaculovirus), cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses (CPVs) (Reoviridae: Cypovirus) and the iridoviruses (MIVs) (Iridoviridae: Chloriridovirus). Baculoviruses and iridoviruses are DNA viruses while cypoviruses are the main RNA viruses in mosquitoes. This review presents an overview of the current status and recent advancements in understanding the biology and molecular features of mosquito pathogenic viruses.