Novel Betaherpesvirus in Bats

Because bats are associated with emerging zoonoses, identification and characterization of novel viruses from bats is needed. Using a modified rapid determination system for viral RNA/DNA sequences, we identified a novel bat betaherpesvirus 2 not detected by herpesvirus consensus PCR. This modified system is useful for detecting unknown viruses

Bat Coronaviruses and Experimental Infection of Bats, the Philippines

Virus-infected fruit bats showed no signs of clinical infection

A Novel PAN/Apple Domain-Containing Protein from Toxoplasma gondii: Characterization and Receptor Identification

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that invades nucleated cells, causing toxoplasmosis in humans and animals worldwide. The extremely wide range of hosts susceptible to T. gondii is thought to be the result of interactions between T. gondii ligands and receptors on its target cells. In this study, a host cell-binding protein from T. gondii was characterized, and one of its receptors was identified. P104 (GenBank Access. No. CAJ20677) is 991 amino acids in length, containing a putative 26 amino acid signal peptide and 10 PAN/apple domains, and shows low homology to other identified PAN/apple domain-containing molecules. A 104-kDa host cell-binding protein was detected in the T. gondii lysate. Immunofluorescence assays detected P104 at the apical end of extracellular T. gondii. An Fc-fusion protein of the P104 N-terminus, which contains two PAN/apple domains, showed strong affinity for the mammalian and insect cells evaluated. This binding was not related to protein-protein or protein-lipid interactions, but to a protein-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) interaction. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), a kind of GAG, was shown to be involved in adhesion of the Fc-P104 N-terminus fusion protein to host cells. These results suggest that P104, expressed at the apical end of the extracellular parasite, may function as a ligand in the attachment of T. gondii to CS or other receptors on the host cell, facilitating invasion by the parasite

Junctional Adhesion Molecule 1 Is a Functional Receptor for Feline Calicivirus

The life cycle of calicivirus is not fully understood because most of the viruses cannot be propagated in tissue culture cells. We studied the mechanism of calicivirus entry into cells using feline calicivirus (FCV), a cultivable calicivirus. From the cDNA library of Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cells, feline junctional adhesion molecule 1 (JAM-1), an immunoglobulin-like protein present in tight junctions, was identified as a cellular-binding molecule of the FCV F4 strain, a prototype strain in Japan. Feline JAM-1 expression in nonpermissive hamster lung cells led to binding and infection by F4 and all other strains tested. An anti-feline JAM-1 antibody reduced the binding of FCV to permissive CRFK cells and strongly suppressed the cytopathic effect (CPE) and FCV progeny production in infected cells. Some strains of FCV, such as F4 and F25, have the ability to replicate in Vero cells. We found that regardless of replication ability, FCV bound to Vero and 293T cells via simian and human JAM-1, respectively. In Vero cells, an anti-human JAM-1 antibody inhibited binding, CPE, and progeny production by F4 and F25. In addition, feline JAM-1 expression permitted FCV infection in 293T cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that feline JAM-1 is a functional receptor for FCV, simian JAM-1 also functions as a receptor for some strains of FCV, and the interaction between FCV and JAM-1 molecules may be a determinant of viral tropism. This is the first report concerning a functional receptor for the viruses in the family Caliciviridae

Monoclonal Antibodies That Distinguish Antigenic Variants of Canine Parvovirus

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is classified as a member of the feline parvovirus (FPV) subgroup. CPV isolates are divided into three antigenic types: CPV type 2 (CPV-2), CPV-2a, and CPV-2b. Recently, new antigenic types of CPV were isolated from Vietnamese leopard cats and designated CPV-2c(a) or CPV-2c(b). CPV-2c viruses were distinguished from the other antigenic types of the FPV subgroup by the absence of reactivity with several monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). To characterize the antigenicity of CPV-2c, a panel of MAbs against CPV-2c was generated and epitopes recognized by these MAbs were examined by selection of escape mutants. Four MAbs were established and classified into three groups on the basis of their reactivities: MAbs which recognize CPV-2a, CPV-2b, and CPV-2c (MAbs 2G5 and 20G4); an MAb which reacts with only CPV-2b and CPV-2c(b) (MAb 21C3); and an MAb which recognizes all types of the FPV subgroup viruses (MAb 19D7). The reactivity of MAb 20G4 with CPV-2c was higher than its reactivities with CPV-2a and CPV-2b. These types of specificities of MAbs have not been reported previously. A mapping study by analysis of neutralization-resistant mutants showed that epitopes recognized by MAbs 21C3 and 19D7 belonged to antigenic site A. Substitution of the residues in site B and the other antigenic site influenced the epitope recognized by MAb 2G5. It was suggested that the epitope recognized by MAb 20G4 was related to antigenic site B. These MAbs are expected to be useful for the detection and classification of FPV subgroup isolates

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Protein Kinase Us3 Phosphorylates Viral Envelope Glycoprotein B and Regulates Its Expression on the Cell Surface▿

Us3 is a serine-threonine protein kinase encoded by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). As reported here, we attempted to identify the previously unreported physiological substrate of Us3 in HSV-1-infected cells. Our results were as follows. (i) Bioinformatics analysis predicted two putative Us3 phosphorylation sites in the viral envelope glycoprotein B (gB) at codons 557 to 562 (RRVSAR) and codons 884 to 889 (RRNTNY). (ii) In in vitro kinase assays, the threonine residue at position 887 (Thr-887) in the gB domain was specifically phosphorylated by Us3, while the serine residue at position 560 was not. (iii) The phosphorylation of gB Thr-887 in Vero cells infected with wild-type HSV-1 was specifically detected using an antibody that recognized phosphorylated serine or threonine residues with arginine at the −3 and −2 positions. (iv) The phosphorylation of gB Thr-887 in infected cells was dependent on the kinase activity of Us3. (v) The replacement of Thr-887 with alanine markedly upregulated the cell surface expression of gB in infected cells, whereas replacement with aspartic acid, which sometimes mimics constitutive phosphorylation, restored the wild-type phenotype. The upregulation of gB expression on the cell surface also was observed in cells infected with a recombinant HSV-1 encoding catalytically inactive Us3. These results supported the hypothesis that Us3 phosphorylates gB and downregulates the cell surface expression of gB in HSV-1-infected cells