Viral afterlife: SARS-CoV-2 as a reservoir of immunomimetic peptides that reassemble into proinflammatory supramolecular complexes

It is unclear how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to the strong but ineffective inflammatory response that characterizes severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with amplified immune activation in diverse cell types, including cells without angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors necessary for infection. Proteolytic degradation of SARS-CoV-2 virions is a milestone in host viral clearance, but the impact of remnant viral peptide fragments from high viral loads is not known. Here, we examine the inflammatory capacity of fragmented viral components from the perspective of supramolecular self-organization in the infected host environment. Interestingly, a machine learning analysis to SARS-CoV-2 proteome reveals sequence motifs that mimic host antimicrobial peptides (xenoAMPs), especially highly cationic human cathelicidin LL-37 capable of augmenting inflammation. Such xenoAMPs are strongly enriched in SARS-CoV-2 relative to low-pathogenicity coronaviruses. Moreover, xenoAMPs from SARS-CoV-2 but not low-pathogenicity homologs assemble double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into nanocrystalline complexes with lattice constants commensurate with the steric size of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3 and therefore capable of multivalent binding. Such complexes amplify cytokine secretion in diverse uninfected cell types in culture (epithelial cells, endothelial cells, keratinocytes, monocytes, and macrophages), similar to cathelicidin’s role in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The induced transcriptome matches well with the global gene expression pattern in COVID-19, despite using <0.3% of the viral proteome. Delivery of these complexes to uninfected mice boosts plasma interleukin-6 and CXCL1 levels as observed in COVID-19 patients

Utilización de compost agotado de champiñón como capa de coberturas en nuevos ciclos de producción Using spent mushroom substrate as casing layers in new growing cycles

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el comportamiento agronómico de seis mezclas de cobertura, elaboradas a partir de sustrato postcultivo del champiñón Agaricus bisporus, en nuevos ciclos de cultivo. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron la viabilidad de la reintroducción del sustrato en nuevos ciclos de cultivo, ya sea como material de base único, si se somete a un proceso de lavado para eliminar sales solubles, o bien mezclado con otros materiales de baja conductividad, como es el caso de la turba rubia o la fibra de coco. Se destacan los altos valores de eficiencia biológica registrados, que llegaron hasta los 100 kg kg-1 de compost, similares a los proporcionados por los testigos, y los altos valores relativos observados (con respecto a los testigos) en el contenido en materia seca de los carpóforos cosechados con algunas de las nuevas coberturas elaboradas. Esta reutilización del compost constituye una alternativa interesante, con vistas a reemplazar a las tierras y a los sustratos orgánicos utilizados habitualmente como cobertura, con la doble ventaja de disminuir los costos de elaboración y el impacto ambiental.<br>The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic behaviour of six mixtures of casing, prepared from spent mushroom substrate (SMS), in new production cycles of Agaricus bisporus. The results obtained showed the feasibility of reuse of the SMS in new cultivation cycles when used alone by submitting it to a washing process to remove soluble salts, or mixed with other materials of low conductivity, such as Sphagnum peat or coconut fiber pith. The high values of biological efficiency recorded up to 100 kg kg-1 compost, similar to that of the controls, and the same high values observed in the dry matter content of the mushrooms harvested with some of the new casing layers prepared must be highlighted. The suggested use for SMS is an important alternative to consider, in order to replace soils and other organic substrates typically used as casing, with the added advantages of lowering the production costs and decreasing the environmental impact