Rearing temperature influences flavivirus vector competence of mosquitoes

Culex annulirostris Skuse mosquitoes (Brisbane strain) were reared at 20 degrees C or 27 degrees C and the adult females were experimentally infected by feeding Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVE). They were then maintained (a) in the insectary at 20 degrees C, after rearing at either 20 degrees C or 27 degrees C; (b) at ambient outdoor temperatures, range 12.2-28.9 degrees C, mean 19.6 degrees C; or (c) at 27 degrees C after rearing at 27 degrees C. There was no significant difference in rates of MVE infection or transmission when mosquitoes were reared and maintained constantly at 20 degrees C or 27 degrees C. However, for females kept at reduced temperature (i.e. mean = 19.6 degrees C or 20 degrees C after rearing at 27 degrees C), the infection and transmission rates of MVE were significantly reduced (2 x 8 replicates). This investigation illustrates that vector competence is depressed by decreasing temperatures for adult mosquitoes compared with those they experienced during development. Similar patterns were evident with previously published work on Japanese and St Louis encephalitis, dengue and yellow fever. The process appears to be reversible, i.e. increased temperature raises virus infection and transmission rates. It is concluded that, without incubation at warmer temperatures, flavivirus recovery from overwintering mosquitoes will be negatively biased.     

Transmissibility of Bacterial Endosymbionts Between Isolates of Acanthamoeba Spp.

ABSTRACT. Experimental transmission of two bacterial endosymbionts to symbiont-free isolates of Acanthamoeba spp. was studied to determine specificity of the host-symbiont relationship. Both symbionts originated from amoebic isolates displaying an identical mitochondrial DNA Eco RI fingerprint (group AcUW II). Symbioses were readily established in one amoebic isolate which displayed a homologous mtDNA fingerprint (group AcUW II). Exposure of a heterologous amoebic isolate (group AcUW IV) to the two symbionts resulted in either cell death or encystation without the establishment of symbioses. While symbioses were established with an amoebic isolate from a second heterologous group (AcUW I), a unique membranous sheath appeared and persisted around one of the symbionts which did not exist in the original host. An isolate representing a third heterologous amoebic group (AcUW VI) was variable in its susceptibility with one symbiont unable to infect the host and the other becoming established only after an initial reaction in which trophozoites rounded-up and floated off the substrate. These studies suggest that a specific recognition system exists between particular isolates of Acanthamoeba and their symbionts, and that the appearance of a killer phenotype is related to contact between mismatched, though recognized, pairs.     

山羊关节炎─脑炎前病毒的PCR检测

山羊关节炎─脑炎前病毒的ＰＣＲ检测相文华,丁恩雨,秦运安,吕晓玲,沈荣显（中国农业科学院哈尔滨兽医研究所哈尔滨１５０００１）关键词聚合酶链反应,山羊关节炎—脑炎病毒,整合山羊关节炎—脑炎（ＣａｐｒｉｎｅＡｒｔｈｒｉｔｉｓ－Ｅｎｃｅｐｈａｌｉｔｉｓ,Ｃ...     

乙型脑炎病毒NS2A-C60A位点突变对其生物学特性影响研究*

目的:旨在探索Ⅰ型日本乙型脑炎病毒传代致弱后基因组突变NS2A-C60A对乙脑病毒生物学特性的影响。方法:首先通过对传代致弱及原始乙脑毒株基因组序列进行测序比对、结构预测分析并利用Western blotting(WB)确定了目标研究位点NS2A-C60A;然后使用反向遗传定点突变技术构建拯救了包含NS2A-C60A单点突变的病毒株;最后利用噬斑形态观察、生长曲线、双萤光素酶分析,WB以及炎性因子检测和动物实验研究了该单点突变对于乙脑病毒生物学特性的影响。结果:首次研究发现Ⅰ型乙脑病毒传代致弱会导致NS1'蛋白表达的显著下降以及可能的相关位点NS2A-C60A,并成功拯救获得了NS2A-C60A单点突变毒株rJEV-C60A,研究发现NS2A-C60A突变对乙脑病毒的生长特性及噬斑形成没有显著影响,但是能够显著降低乙脑病毒NS1'蛋白的表达,并且该位点突变能够轻微阻碍乙脑病毒对细胞炎性因子表达的抑制,动物实验结果显示NS2A-C60A点突变病毒与原毒株具有相似的神经毒力,说明该位点突变不是影响乙脑病毒毒力致弱的关键位点。结论:新发现的NS2A-C60A位点突变能够显著减少乙脑病毒NS1'蛋白的表达,但是对其增殖、诱导炎症及神经毒力等生物学特性没有显著影响。     

Serologic Analyses of Cell-Surface Antigens of Acanthamoeba spp. with Plasma Membrane Antisera*†

SYNOPSIS. Antisera were raised against plasma membrane-enriched fractions of the species Acanthamoeba castellanii and Acanthamoeba culbertsoni to determine whether cell-surface antigens would facilitate species identification of Acanthamoeba isolated from the environment or in human infections. Acanthamoeba castellanii and A. culbertsoni plasma membranes were purified, after homogenization, by differential and isopycnic centrifugation. Electron microscopic examination of purified membrane samples showed an enrichment of membranes with a typical trilaminar structure. Occasionally, mitochondria were recognized in the electron microscope preparations. 5′-Nucleotidase, Mg²⁺-ATPase, and alkaline phosphatase were enriched 11-fold, 2-fold, and 7-fold, respectively, in the A. castellanii membranes, as determined from analyses of the enzyme activities in whole cell homogenates and membrane preparations. 5′-Nucleotidase was not detected in A. culbertsoni, but the activities of Mg²⁺-ATPase and alkaline phosphatase were increased 2- to 3-fold. Both membrane preparations showed no glucose-6-phosphatase activity and less than 5% contamination with succinic dehydrogenase. From assays of acid phosphatase activity, the most apparent contamination of the plasma membrane preparations was with membranes of phagocytic vacuoles. Acanthamoeba castellanii membrane antisera produced significant agglutination and fluorescence of homologous cells to titers of 1:8192 and 1:1024, respectively. Acanthamoeba polyphaga and Acanthamoeba rhysodes gave the most cross-reactions in heterologous tests. They were agglutinated to a titer of 1:128 and positively fluoresced to titers of 1:32 and 1:64, respectively. Antisera of A. culbertsoni membrane agglutinated homologous cells at a dilution up to 1:4096 and produced homologous fluorescent titers up to 1:512. Other than agglutination of A. polyphaga to a titer of 1:128, these antisera did not cross-react significantly with any remaining heterologous species. Three new isolates were identified with these plasma membrane antisera: 2 of them, contaminants from tumor tissue cultures, were identified as A. culbertsoni. Preliminary information is also given on the use of the membrane antisera for species identification of Acanthamoeba in several new cases of amebic encephalitis.     

乙脑/登革4型嵌合病毒的构建及其小鼠神经毒力测定

目的构建以乙型脑炎病毒(Japanese encephalitis virus,JEV)疫苗株SA14-14-2为基因骨架的乙脑/登革4型嵌合病毒,并分析该嵌合病毒对小鼠的神经毒力。方法通过重叠PCR方法扩增含有登革病毒4型(DENV-4)H241株pr ME基因序列和乙型脑炎病毒疫苗株SA14-14-2的NS1蛋白前177个核苷酸的融合片段,用Nar I和Bgl II双酶切后替换乙型脑炎病毒疫苗株SA14-14-2全长克隆中的相应区域,构建成乙脑/登革4型嵌合全长克隆,通过体外转录和转染BHK21细胞获得嵌合病毒(JEV/DENV-4 chimeric virus,JD4)。通过测定嵌合病毒JD4和2个母本株JEV SA14-14-2株及DENV-4 H241株蚀斑大小、小鼠脑内神经毒力和皮下感染入脑能力、乳鼠脑内神经毒力,比较JD4和母本株之间的差异。通过将JD4在原代地鼠肾(primary hamster kidney,PHK)细胞传代30次,分析传代后嵌合病毒的神经毒力是否减弱及减弱的程度。结果测序结果表明,构建的嵌合病毒JD4基因组序列和预期一致,没有产生新的位点突变。JD4蚀斑较SA14-14-2明显偏小,但和DENV-4 H241株没有明显区别。JD4对3周龄小鼠具有较强的脑内神经毒力,和母本株DENV-4 H241没有差异,对小鼠没有神经侵袭力。乳鼠实验结果表明,嵌合病毒JD4脑内神经毒力虽然略低于母本株DENV-4 H241,但两者之间没有明显差异,都明显强于乙脑疫苗株SA14-14-2。在PHK细胞传代30次后,小鼠神经毒力虽然有所减低,但并不明显。结论成功构建了嵌合病毒JD4,通过测定并比较JD4与母本株的蚀斑特征、小鼠及乳鼠神经毒力等试验,为分析登革疫苗候选株安全性研究奠定了基础。     

Battling for Ribosomes: Translational Control at the Forefront of the Antiviral Response

In the early stages of infection, gaining control of the cellular protein synthesis machinery including its ribosomes is the ultimate combat objective for a virus. To successfully replicate, viruses unequivocally need to usurp and redeploy this machinery for translation of their own mRNA. In response, the host triggers global shutdown of translation while paradoxically allowing swift synthesis of antiviral proteins as a strategy to limit collateral damage. This fundamental conflict at the level of translational control defines the outcome of infection. As part of this special issue on molecular mechanisms of early virus–host cell interactions, we review the current state of knowledge regarding translational control during viral infection with specific emphasis on protein kinase RNA-activated and mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated mechanisms. We also describe recent technological advances that will allow unprecedented insight into how viruses and host cells battle for ribosomes.     

圣路易斯脑炎病毒NS2B-NS3蛋白酶的原核表达及其抑制剂的筛选

【目的】圣路易斯脑炎病毒(St. Louis encephalitis virus,SLEV)属于黄病毒科,是一种单股正链RNA病毒。黄病毒编码的非结构蛋白NS3在病毒复制以及多聚蛋白加工过程中起着重要作用,NS2B是其发挥作用的重要辅助因子。因此,NS2B-NS3蛋白酶复合物是抗病毒药物的重要靶标。本研究旨在构建SLEV NS2B-NS3蛋白酶的原核表达系统并建立其抑制剂的高通量筛选方法,从而发现其小分子抑制剂。【方法】通过PCR扩增SLEVNS2B-NS3蛋白的编码区,构建原核表达质粒;在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中,经异丙基硫代半乳糖苷(Isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside)诱导得到可溶性的NS2B-NS3蛋白,并用镍亲和层析方法进行纯化;基于荧光共振能量转移(Fluorescence resonance energy transfer)技术检测NS2B-NS3蛋白酶活性,建立其抑制剂的高通量筛选平台。【结果】SLEV NS2B-NS3蛋白酶纯化程度高达95%以上,基于酶活测定的抑制剂筛选平台准确可行。对700多个上市药物进行筛选后,发现原花青素对SLEVNS2B-NS3蛋白酶具有明显的抑制活性。【结论】本研究为SLEVNS2B-NS3蛋白酶抑制剂提供了一种操作方便、高通量的筛选方法,并首次发现了原花青素具有抑制SLEV NS2B-NS3蛋白酶活性的功能,可以作为治疗SLEV感染的潜在靶向药物。     

流行性乙型脑炎病毒E基因的克隆、表达及初步应用

参照GenBank中的日本乙型脑炎病毒(Japanese encephalitis virus,JEV)SA14-14株序列设计了一对特异性引物,用PCR方法从SA14-14扩增E基因全长,然后克隆到pMD18-T载体中,转化宿主菌DH5a,提取阳性克隆质粒进行双酶切鉴定,将目的片段定向克隆到pET32a( )中,转化入BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导可表达分子量约73ka的蛋白,Western blotting试验呈阳性,表明E基因得到表达。以纯化的表达产物为核心抗原,猪抗JEV血清为一抗,HRP标记羊抗猪IgG抗体为二抗建立间接ELISA方法,并初步检测了一些血清样品,结果提示表达的蛋白具有很好的应用开发价值。