8 research outputs found
Insight into the Machinery and Applications for Understanding the Pathogen- Vector Interface
The availability of genome sequencing data in combination with knowledge of
expressed genes via transcriptome and proteome data has greatly advanced our
understanding of arthropod vectors of disease. Not only have we gained insight
into vector biology, but also into their respective vector-pathogen
interactions. By combining the strengths of postgenomic databases and reverse
genetic approaches such as RNAi, the numbers of available drug and vaccine
targets, as well as number of transgenes for subsequent transgenic or
paratransgenic approaches, have expanded. These are now paving the way for in-
field control strategies of vectors and their pathogens. Basic scientific
questions, such as understanding the basic components of the vector RNAi
machinery, is vital, as this allows for the transfer of basic RNAi machinery
components into RNAi-deficient vectors, thereby expanding the genetic toolbox
of these RNAi-deficient vectors and pathogens. In this review, we focus on the
current knowledge of arthropod vector RNAi machinery and the impact of RNAi on
understanding vector biology and vector-pathogen interactions for which vector
genomic data is available on VectorBase
Use of soluble African horse sickness viral protein 7 as an antigen delivery and presentation system
We have investigated the use of soluble chimeric trimers of the major capsid protein VP7 of
African horse sickness virus (AHSV) as a vaccine delivery system by targeting some of the
natural hydrophilic loops on the VP7 top domain for the insertion of foreign peptides. Key to this
trimer display strategy is the solubility of AHSV VP7 and how the solubility of this hydrophobic
protein can be manipulated by inserting peptides into the top domain. To investigate, we
generated different cloning vectors by inserting multiple cloning sites at three different positions
in the VP7 gene. These modifications inserted six amino acids at the cloning sites and in some
cases this converted VP7 to a largely soluble protein without affecting the ability of the modified
proteins to form trimers. The vectors were used to generate a number of soluble VP7 fusion
proteins including a fusion with a 36 amino acid insert that overlaps important immunological
domains on protein VP1 of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) as well as a 110 amino acid
peptide derived from AHSV VP2. Soluble trimers of these fusion proteins were able to elicit a
good insert-specific immune response in guinea pigs. l-Arginine was found to reverse protein
aggregation and was employed as an effective strategy to isolate relatively pure soluble chimeric
VP7 trimers. Another factor that increased VP7 solubility in both wild-type VP7 and one of the
VP7 vector proteins was the substitution of the leucine residue in position 345 of the VP7 Cterminus
with a hydrophilic arginine residue.The work was largely supported by BioPad Bric grant BP050 with additional support from the
National Research Foundation.www.elsevier.com/locate/virusre
RNAi in Arthropods: Insight into the Machinery and Applications for Understanding the Pathogen-Vector Interface
The availability of genome sequencing data in combination with knowledge of expressed genes via transcriptome and proteome data has greatly advanced our understanding of arthropod vectors of disease. Not only have we gained insight into vector biology, but also into their respective vector-pathogen interactions. By combining the strengths of postgenomic databases and reverse genetic approaches such as RNAi, the numbers of available drug and vaccine targets, as well as number of transgenes for subsequent transgenic or paratransgenic approaches, have expanded. These are now paving the way for in-field control strategies of vectors and their pathogens. Basic scientific questions, such as understanding the basic components of the vector RNAi machinery, is vital, as this allows for the transfer of basic RNAi machinery components into RNAi-deficient vectors, thereby expanding the genetic toolbox of these RNAi-deficient vectors and pathogens. In this review, we focus on the current knowledge of arthropod vector RNAi machinery and the impact of RNAi on understanding vector biology and vector-pathogen interactions for which vector genomic data is available on VectorBase