Presence of a Mitovirus Is Associated with Alteration of the Mitochondrial Proteome, as Revealed by Protein–Protein Interaction (PPI) and Co-Expression Network Models in Chenopodium quinoa Plants

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Plants often harbor persistent plant virus infection transmitted only vertically through seeds, resulting in no obvious symptoms (cryptic infections). Several studies have shown that such cryptic infections provide resilience against abiotic (and biotic) stress. We have recently discovered a new group of cryptic plant viruses infecting mitochondria (plant mitovirus). Mitochondria are cellular organelles displaying a pivotal role in protecting cells from the stress of nature . Here, we look at the proteomic alterations caused by the mitovirus cryptic infection of Chenopodium quinoa by Systems Biology approaches allowing one to evaluate data at holistic level. Quinoa is a domesticated plant species with many exciting features of abiotic stress resistance, and it is distinguished by its exceptional nutritional characteristics, such as the content and quality of proteins, minerals, lipids, and tocopherols. These features determined the growing interest for the quinoa crop by the scientific community and international organizations since they provide opportunities to produce high-value grains in arid, high-salt and high-UV agroecological environments. We discovered that quinoa lines hosting mitovirus activate some metabolic processes that might help them face drought. These findings present a new perspective for breeding crop plants through the augmented genome provided by accessory cryptic viruses to be investigated in the future. ABSTRACT: Plant mitoviruses belong to Mitoviridae family and consist of positive single-stranded RNA genomes replicating exclusively in host mitochondria. We previously reported the biological characterization of a replicating plant mitovirus, designated Chenopodium quinoa mitovirus 1 (CqMV1), in some Chenopodium quinoa accessions. In this study, we analyzed the mitochondrial proteome from leaves of quinoa, infected and not infected by CqMV1. Furthermore, by protein–protein interaction and co-expression network models, we provided a system perspective of how CqMV1 affects mitochondrial functionality. We found that CqMV1 is associated with changes in mitochondrial protein expression in a mild but well-defined way. In quinoa-infected plants, we observed up-regulation of functional modules involved in amino acid catabolism, mitochondrial respiratory chain, proteolysis, folding/stress response and redox homeostasis. In this context, some proteins, including BCE2 (lipoamide acyltransferase component of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex), DELTA-OAT (ornithine aminotransferase) and GR-RBP2 (glycine-rich RNA-binding protein 2) were interesting because all up-regulated and network hubs in infected plants; together with other hubs, including CAT (catalase) and APX3 (L-ascorbate peroxidase 3), they play a role in stress response and redox homeostasis. These proteins could be related to the higher tolerance degree to drought we observed in CqMV1-infected plants. Although a specific causative link could not be established by our experimental approach at this stage, the results suggest a new mechanistic hypothesis that demands further in-depth functional studies

2021 Taxonomic update of phylum Negarnaviricota (Riboviria: Orthornavirae), including the large orders Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales.

Correction to: 2021 Taxonomic update of phylum Negarnaviricota (Riboviria: Orthornavirae), including the large orders Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales. Archives of Virology (2021) 166:3567–3579. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05266-wIn March 2021, following the annual International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) ratification vote on newly proposed taxa, the phylum Negarnaviricota was amended and emended. The phylum was expanded by four families (Aliusviridae, Crepuscuviridae, Myriaviridae, and Natareviridae), three subfamilies (Alpharhabdovirinae, Betarhabdovirinae, and Gammarhabdovirinae), 42 genera, and 200 species. Thirty-nine species were renamed and/or moved and seven species were abolished. This article presents the updated taxonomy of Negarnaviricota as now accepted by the ICTV.This work was supported in part through Laulima Government Solutions, LLC prime contract with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under Contract No. HHSN272201800013C. J.H.K. performed this work as an employee of Tunnell Government Services (TGS), a subcontractor of Laulima Government Solutions, LLC under Contract No. HHSN272201800013C. This work was also supported in part with federal funds from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), under Contract No. 75N91019D00024, Task Order No. 75N91019F00130 to I.C., who was supported by the Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research. This work was also funded in part by Contract No. HSHQDC-15-C-00064 awarded by DHS S&T for the management and operation of The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, a federally funded research and development center operated by the Battelle National Biodefense Institute (V.W.); and NIH contract HHSN272201000040I/HHSN27200004/D04 and grant R24AI120942 (N.V., R.B.T.). S.S. acknowledges partial support from the Special Research Initiative of Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES), Mississippi State University, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, Hatch Project 1021494. Part of this work was supported by the Francis Crick Institute which receives its core funding from Cancer Research UK (FC001030), the UK Medical Research Council (FC001030), and the Wellcome Trust (FC001030).S

2021 Taxonomic update of phylum Negarnaviricota (Riboviria: Orthornavirae), including the large orders Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales.

In March 2021, following the annual International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) ratification vote on newly proposed taxa, the phylum Negarnaviricota was amended and emended. The phylum was expanded by four families (Aliusviridae, Crepuscuviridae, Myriaviridae, and Natareviridae), three subfamilies (Alpharhabdovirinae, Betarhabdovirinae, and Gammarhabdovirinae), 42 genera, and 200 species. Thirty-nine species were renamed and/or moved and seven species were abolished. This article presents the updated taxonomy of Negarnaviricota as now accepted by the ICTV

Verso nuovi strumenti: uno studio pilota per la rilevazione della velocità di lettura in modalità silente. Esperienze cliniche e traiettorie di ricerca del gruppo di lavoro dell’Università di Messina

Individuare adulti e studenti universitari o di scuola superiore con difficoltà di lettura è un problema oggi sentito come urgente. Molti dubbi, però, permangono su quali siano le migliori prassi per valutare le abilità di lettura di queste persone. La lettura silente è il modo principale di leggere per i lettori esperti, per cui capire come misurare la fluidità della lettura silente (SRF) è molto importante. Ma la valutazione della SRF non è comunemente utilizzata per identificare gli studenti con difficoltà di lettura e monitorare i loro progressi. Questo studio presenta i punteggi SRF di adulti con dislessia comparati ai punteggi SRF di lettori esperti e discute i vantaggi della SRF nell'identificare adulti con difficoltà di lettura. I partecipanti sono 22 lettori adulti esperti o 22 con diagnosi di dislessia di pari età (18 - 48 anni). Tutti i partecipanti hanno migliorato la loro fluidità di lettura passando dalla modalità ad alta voce a quella silente. Tuttavia, l’incremento di velocità medio di lettura silente del gruppo dei dislessici è stato meno della metà di quello conseguito dai lettori esperti. I nostri risultati suggeriscono che i lettori dislessici sono meno in grado di migliorare significativamente la loro velocità di lettura quando leggono silenziosamente. La SRF, pertanto, potrebbe essere considerata una misura adeguata per identificare gli studenti superiori e gli adulti con difficoltà nella lettura

Uno studio pilota per la rilevazione della velocità di lettura in modalità silente: implicazioni per la valutazione di adolescenti e adulti con dislessia

Comprendere i meccanismi che sottendono la velocità di lettura in modalità silente (silent reading fluency – SRF) è di primaria importanza, considerato che la lettura silente è la principale modalità di lettura degli adolescenti e degli adulti. Abbiamo valutato le abilità di lettura in modalità silente di 68 soggetti adulti di età compresa tra i 18 e i 48 anni: 24 erano normolettori con alto livello di scolarizzazione (diploma di laurea; media degli anni di scuola 17,45, DS = ,93); 22 normolettori con un più basso livello di scolarizzazione (diploma di scuola superiore; media degli anni di scuola 12,95, DS = ,65); 22 lettori dislessici (con almeno il diploma di scuola superiore; media degli anni di scuola 12,59, DS = 1,71). Tutti i soggetti leggevano più velocemente nella modalità silente che in quella ad alta voce. Tuttavia, tra i lettori dislessici, si è osservato un minore incremento percentuale della velocità di lettura che è stato di appena il 25% contro il 62% dei normolettori con un livello di scolarizzazione più elevato e del 51% dei normolettori con un più basso livello di scolarizzazione. La presente ricerca suggerisce che i disturbi specifici di lettura sono interferenti con la comune capacità di incrementare la velocità di lettura in modalità silente