Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center; full text release delayed at author's request until 2008 Nov 30

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD (Microbiology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / unrestricted

Foamy viruses (FV) represent a distinct genus in the retrovirus family and separate themselves from the large group of orthoretroviruses by various distinct features in their replication cycle (reviewed in Lindemann & Rethwilm, 2011). In gene therapy retroviruses are commonly used as vectors to deliver genetic information into target cells and also FV has been successfully used for example in a canine genetic disease model (Trobridge et al., 2009). Here we investigated the interactions between the FV capsid-forming protein ‘Gag’ and nucleic acids. We found that prototype FV (PFV) Gag binds various cellular mRNAs, incorporates them into the nascent particle and thereby enables their transfer into the cytosol of target cells. There these mRNAs can serve as template for protein translation. This feature seems uniquely efficient for PFV and we developed it further into a “RNA transfer vector system” allowing efficient transgene mRNA transfer into target cells, as showed in proof-of-principle experiments in vitro and in vivo (Hamann et al., 2014a). In parallel we started investigating the specificity in viral RNA genome packaging (Hamann et al., 2014b). To date little is known how PFV selects its RNA genome over the vast excess of cellular RNAs present in the cytosol. Elevated fundamental knowledge of this mechanism could help to make the “RNA transfer vector system” even more efficient since it would allow enrichment of certain specific “designer-RNAs” in virus particles.

Tombusviruses are single, positive strand RNA viruses of plants, often associated with parasitic defective interfering (DI) RNAs. Two viral- coded gene products, namely p33 and p92, are required for tombusvirus replication. The overlapping domains of p33 and p92 contain an arginine/proline-rich (RPR) RNA binding motif. In this study, the role of RPR motif and viral RNA in tombusvirus replication and recombination, as well as involvement of viral RNA in tombusvirus replicase assembly was examined. Using site-directed mutagenesis I generated a series of RPR mutants of Cucumber necrosis tombusvirus (CNV). Analysis of RPR mutants defined that wild type RPR motif, especially two of the four arginines, were required for efficient RNA binding in vitro, for replication of tombusviruses, their associated DI RNAs, subgenomic (sg)RNA synthesis and DI RNA recombination in vivo. Experiments using a two-component tombusvirus replication system showed that RPR motif is critical for functions of both p33 and p92 in replication, but its role in these proteins might not be identical. Recombination studies using a novel tombusvirus three-component system revealed that mutations in RPR motif of p33 replicase protein resulted in an altered viral RNA recombination rate. Identified DI RNA recombinants were mostly imprecise, with recombination sites clustered around a replication enchancer and an additional putative cis-acting element that might facilitate the template switching events by the tombusvirus replicase. To study the role of RNA during the assembly of functional tombusvirus replicase, recombinant CNV replicase that showed similar properties to plant-derived CNV replicase was purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When in addition to p33 and p92 proteins DI RNA was co-expressed in yeast cells, the isolated replicase activity was increased ~40 fold. Further studies defined RNA motifs within two short DI RNA regions that enhanced active CNV replicase formation. In summary, this study showed that the conserved RNA binding motif of the tombusvirus replicase proteins and viral RNA are involved in replicase assembly, viral RNA replication, subgenomic RNA synthesis and RNA recombination. This data shed new light on the complex roles of the viral elements in replication, and will help future studies aimed at interfering with viral infections.

Apesar dos esforços para controlar a infecção por HIV-1, na América do Sul, diversos recombinantes tem sido descritos, principalmente entre os subtipos B e F. Durante a tarefa coordenada de HIV-1 VGDN, foram encontrados diversos novos recombinantes BF no estado de São Paulo, sendo a maioria deles com a protease F. Técnicas filogenéticas usadas em integrases destes pacientes demonstraram que sequências recombinantes com perfis similares surgiram em diferentes eventos de recombinação. Análises filodinâmicas de amostras argentinas apontaram um crescimento contínuo de recombinantes com proteases F após a introdução da terapia intensiva, enquanto o subtipo B deixou de crescer. Dados estruturais e de interação de proteases F resistentes com o inibidor nelfinavir obtidos por dinâmica molecular sugeriram que polimorfismos do subtipo F podem atuar como restauradores de atividade ou acentuar a perda de afinidade pelo inibidor. Um vetor recombinante pNL4-3 com parte do gene gag e a protease do subtipo F foi construído, permitindo a comparação de seu efeito no fitness viral. / Despite general efforts to control HIV-1 infections, many recombinants have been described among B and F subtype in South America. During the VGDN HIV task in São Paulo state, a large number of new BF recombinants was found, most of which harbor a subtype F protease. Phylogenetic analysis of integrase genes from these patients showed distinct origins for similar recombinant regions. Phylodynamic analysis suggested that after HAART introduction in Argentina BF recombinants with F protease depicted a sustained growth, while subtype B had diminished in growth.. Moreover, structural data from proteases after HAART introduction, while subtype B had diminished growth. Subtype F proteases structure and nelfinavir interaction measured by molecular dynamics suggested that polymorphisms of this subtype may restore enzyme activity or decrease even further inhibitor affinity. A pNL4-3 recombinant vector with most of gag gene and a protease of subtype F was made, which allows the comparison of its effects on viral fitness.

Rapid evolution of RNA viruses with mRNA-sense genomes is a major concern to health and economic welfare due to the devastating diseases these viruses inflict on humans, animals and plants. Rapid viral RNA evolution is frequently due to RNA recombination, which can be facilitated by recombination signals present in viral RNAs. Among such signals are short sequences with high AU contents that constitute recombination hot spots in Brome mosaic virus (BMV) and retroviruses. We have demonstrated that a defective interfering (DI) RNA, a model template associated with Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV), a tombusvirus, undergoes frequent recombination in plants and protoplast cells when it carries the AU-rich hot spot sequence from BMV. Similar to the situation with BMV, most of the recombination junction sites in the DI RNA recombinants were found within the AU-rich region. Our results support the idea that common AU-rich recombination signals might promote interviral recombination between unrelated viruses. To test if host genes can affect the evolution of RNA viruses, we used a Saccharomyces cerevisiae single-gene deletion library, which includes ~80% of yeast genes, in RNA recombination studies based on a small viral replicon RNA derived from TBSV. The genome-wide screen led to the identification of five host genes, whose absence resulted in rapid generation of novel viral RNA recombinants. Thus, these genes normally suppress viral RNA recombination, but in their absence hosts become viral recombination hotbeds. Four of the five recombination suppressor genes are likely involved in RNA degradation, suggesting that RNA degradation could play a role in viral RNA recombination. Overall, our results demonstrate for the first time that a set of host genes have major effect on RNA virus recombination and evolution. Replication of the non-segmented, plus-stranded RNA genome of Cucumber necrosis tombusvirus (CNV) requires two essential overlapping viral-coded replication proteins, the p33 replication co-factor and the p92 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. We have demonstrated that p33 is phosphorylated in vivo and in vitro by a membrane-bound plant kinase. Based on in vitro studies with purified recombinant p33, we show evidence for phosphorylation of threonine and serine residues adjacent to the essential RNA-binding site in p33. Our findings suggest that phosphorylation of threonine/serine residues adjacent to the essential RNA-binding site in the auxiliary p33 protein likely plays a role in viral RNA replication and subgenomic RNA synthesis during tombusvirus infections.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [114]-116).

Memoria para optar al Título Profesional de Médico Veterinario. Tesis para optar al Grado de Magíster en Ciencias Animales y Veterinarias / La necrosis pancreática infecciosa es una enfermedad que afecta principalmente a los peces salmónidos, generando un impacto a nivel mundial por las mortalidades y las pérdidas económicas. El agente responsable de esta enfermedad es un virus RNA doble hebra que posee dos segmentos; el segmento A que codifica para una poliproteína que posteriormente a origen a las proteínas de la cápside viral VP2 y VP3. El segmento B codifica para la proteína VP1, que es un RNA polimerasa RNA dependiente. El alto peso molecular de VP1 sugiere que esta podría ser una proteína altamente inmunogénica y por lo tanto un buen candidato para el diseño de vacunas recombinantes. Con el objetivo de evaluar sus propiedades inmunogénicas, VP1 fue expresada en Escherichia coli, utilizando el vector de expresión pET21a/VP1, y purificada bajo condiciones desnaturantes. Se inmunizaron truchas arcoíris con VP1 y se analizó la respuesta linfocitaria, a través de ensayos de proliferación y análisis de transcritos mediante qRT-PCR. VP1r indujo un aumento en la expresión transcripcional de IFNγ, IL-12, T-bet e IL-4/13 A de los órganos linfoides de la trucha, además indujo proliferación en ensayos de re-estimulación in vitro. Estos resultados sugieren que VP1r es una proteína que induce una respuesta linfocitaria tipo Th1 y Th2 / Infectious pancreatic necrosis is a disease that mainly affects salmonid fish, generating a global impact due to mortalities and economic losses. The agent responsible for this disease is a double-stranded RNA virus that has two segments; segment A that codes for a polyprotein that subsequently originates the viral capsid proteins VP2 and VP3. Segment B encodes VP1 protein, which is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The high molecular weight of VP1 suggests that this could be a highly immunogenic protein and therefore a good candidate for the design of recombinant vaccines. In order to evaluate its immunogenic properties, VP1r was expressed in Escherichia coli, using the expression vector pET21a / VP1, and purified under denaturing conditions. Rainbow trout were immunized with VP1r and the lymphocyte response was analyzed, through proliferation assays and transcript analysis by qRT-PCR. VP1r induced an increase in the transcriptional expression of IFNγ, IL-12, T-bet and IL-4/13 A of the lymphoid organs of the trout, and induced proliferation in vitro re-stimulation assays. These results suggest that VP1r is a protein that induces a Th1 and Th2 type lymphocyte response / Financiamiento: Proyecto Fondecyt 1161045 RCUK - Conicyt MR-N2625X1

Apesar dos esforços para controlar a infecção por HIV-1, na América do Sul, diversos recombinantes tem sido descritos, principalmente entre os subtipos B e F. Durante a tarefa coordenada de HIV-1 VGDN, foram encontrados diversos novos recombinantes BF no estado de São Paulo, sendo a maioria deles com a protease F. Técnicas filogenéticas usadas em integrases destes pacientes demonstraram que sequências recombinantes com perfis similares surgiram em diferentes eventos de recombinação. Análises filodinâmicas de amostras argentinas apontaram um crescimento contínuo de recombinantes com proteases F após a introdução da terapia intensiva, enquanto o subtipo B deixou de crescer. Dados estruturais e de interação de proteases F resistentes com o inibidor nelfinavir obtidos por dinâmica molecular sugeriram que polimorfismos do subtipo F podem atuar como restauradores de atividade ou acentuar a perda de afinidade pelo inibidor. Um vetor recombinante pNL4-3 com parte do gene gag e a protease do subtipo F foi construído, permitindo a comparação de seu efeito no fitness viral. / Despite general efforts to control HIV-1 infections, many recombinants have been described among B and F subtype in South America. During the VGDN HIV task in São Paulo state, a large number of new BF recombinants was found, most of which harbor a subtype F protease. Phylogenetic analysis of integrase genes from these patients showed distinct origins for similar recombinant regions. Phylodynamic analysis suggested that after HAART introduction in Argentina BF recombinants with F protease depicted a sustained growth, while subtype B had diminished in growth.. Moreover, structural data from proteases after HAART introduction, while subtype B had diminished growth. Subtype F proteases structure and nelfinavir interaction measured by molecular dynamics suggested that polymorphisms of this subtype may restore enzyme activity or decrease even further inhibitor affinity. A pNL4-3 recombinant vector with most of gag gene and a protease of subtype F was made, which allows the comparison of its effects on viral fitness.