A highly discriminatory RNA strand-specific assay to facilitate analysis of the role of cis-acting elements in foot-and-mouth disease virus replication

Foot-and-mouth-disease virus (FMDV), the aetiological agent responsible for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), is a member of the genus Aphthovirus within the family Picornavirus. In common with all picornaviruses, replication of the single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome involves synthesis of a negative-sense complementary strand that serves as a template for the synthesis of multiple positive-sense progeny strands. We have previously employed FMDV replicons to examine viral RNA and protein elements essential to replication, but the factors affecting differential strand production remain unknown. Replicon-based systems require transfection of high levels of RNA, which can overload sensitive techniques such as quantitative PCR, preventing discrimination of specific strands. Here, we describe a method in which replicating RNA is labelled in vivo with 5-ethynyl uridine. The modified base is then linked to a biotin tag using click chemistry, facilitating purification of newly synthesised viral genomes or anti-genomes from input RNA. This selected RNA can then be amplified by strand-specific quantitative PCR, thus enabling investigation of the consequences of defined mutations on the relative synthesis of negative-sense intermediate and positive-strand progeny RNAs. We apply this new approach to investigate the consequence of mutation of viral cis-acting replication elements and provide direct evidence for their roles in negative-strand synthesis

Insights into malaria susceptibility using genome-wide data on 17,000 individuals from Africa, Asia and Oceania

The human genetic factors that affect resistance to infectious disease are poorly understood. Here we report a genome-wide association study in 17,000 severe malaria cases and population controls from 11 countries, informed by sequencing of family trios and by direct typing of candidate loci in an additional 15,000 samples. We identify five replicable associations with genome-wide levels of evidence including a newly implicated variant on chromosome 6. Jointly, these variants account for around one-tenth of the heritability of severe malaria, which we estimate as -23% using genome-wide genotypes. We interrogate available functional data and discover an erythroid-specific transcription start site underlying the known association in ATP2B4, but are unable to identify a likely causal mechanism at the chromosome 6 locus. Previously reported HLA associations do not replicate in these samples. This large dataset will provide a foundation for further research on thegenetic determinants of malaria resistance in diverse populations.Peer reviewe

Epstein-Barr virus: clinical and epidemiological revisits and genetic basis of oncogenesis

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is classified as a member in the order herpesvirales, family herpesviridae, subfamily gammaherpesvirinae and the genus lymphocytovirus. The virus is an exclusively human pathogen and thus also termed as human herpesvirus 4 (HHV4). It was the first oncogenic virus recognized and has been incriminated in the causation of tumors of both lymphatic and epithelial nature. It was reported in some previous studies that 95% of the population worldwide are serologically positive to the virus. Clinically, EBV primary infection is almost silent, persisting as a life-long asymptomatic latent infection in B cells although it may be responsible for a transient clinical syndrome called infectious mononucleosis. Following reactivation of the virus from latency due to immunocompromised status, EBV was found to be associated with several tumors. EBV linked to oncogenesis as detected in lymphoid tumors such as Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin's disease (HD), post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) and T-cell lymphomas (e.g. Peripheral T-cell lymphomas; PTCL and Anaplastic large cell lymphomas; ALCL). It is also linked to epithelial tumors such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), gastric carcinomas and oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL). In vitro, EBV many studies have demonstrated its ability to transform B cells into lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Despite these malignancies showing different clinical and epidemiological patterns when studied, genetic studies have suggested that these EBV- associated transformations were characterized generally by low level of virus gene expression with only the latent virus proteins (LVPs) upregulated in both tumors and LCLs. In this review, we summarize some clinical and epidemiological features of EBV- associated tumors. We also discuss how EBV latent genes may lead to oncogenesis in the different clinical malignancie

Inhibition of the foot-and-mouth disease virus subgenomic replicon by RNA aptamers

Sophie Forrest was funded by a BBSRC studentship and by the Wellcome Trust (094898). Zoe Lear is funded by a Wellcome Trust 4-year PhD programme (The Molecular Basis of Biological Mechanisms).We have previously documented the inhibitory activity of RNA aptamers to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of foot-and-mouth disease virus (3D). Here we report their modification and use with a subgenomic replicon incorporating GFP (pGFP-PAC replicon), allowing replication to be monitored and quantified in real-time. GFP expression in transfected BHK-21 cells reached a maximum at approximately 8 h post-transfection, at which time change in morphology of the cells was consistent with a virus-induced cytopathic effect. However, transfection of replicon-bearing cells with a 3D aptamer RNA resulted in inhibition of GFP expression and maintenance of normal cell morphology, whereas a control aptamer RNA had little effect. The inhibition was correlated with a reduction in 3D (detected by immunoblotting) and shown to be dose dependent. The 3D aptamers appeared to be more effective than 29-C-methylcytidine (29CMC). Aptamers to components of the replication complex are therefore useful molecular tools for studying viral replication and also have potential as diagnostic molecules in the future.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Inhibition of the foot-and-mouth disease virus subgenomic replicon by RNA aptamers

We have previously documented the inhibitory activity of RNA aptamers to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of foot-and-mouth disease virus (3D). Here we report their modification and use with a subgenomic replicon incorporating GFP (pGFP-PAC replicon), allowing replication to be monitored and quantified in real-time. GFP expression in transfected BHK-21 cells reached a maximum at approximately 8 h post-transfection, at which time change in morphology of the cells was consistent with a virus-induced cytopathic effect. However, transfection of replicon-bearing cells with a 3D aptamer RNA resulted in inhibition of GFP expression and maintenance of normal cell morphology, whereas a control aptamer RNA had little effect. The inhibition was correlated with a reduction in 3D (detected by immunoblotting) and shown to be dose dependent. The 3D aptamers appeared to be more effective than 29-C-methylcytidine (29CMC). Aptamers to components of the replication complex are therefore useful molecular tools for studying viral replication and also have potential as diagnostic molecules in the future

La contribution du Saint-Siège au progrès de l'Europe

1995-199