A5041403602- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Malaria Research and Control
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
The University of Queensland
2016-2024
Australian e-Health Research Centre
2023
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
2022
Insect-specific Binjari virus facilitates the production of chimeric particles flavivirus pathogens for diagnostics and vaccines.
Two antibodies against flaviviruses Flaviviruses are a group of RNA viruses that include the human pathogens dengue virus, Zika and West Nile virus. The envelope protein (E) on virus surface has been target vaccine development, but problems have arisen with E, leading to enhanced infection. Now, Modhiran et al. Biering describe two different bind flavivirus NS1 prevent it from disrupting epithelial cells, which is associated severe disease. Both cross-react multiple proteins. reduce viremia...
We describe two new insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) isolated from mosquitoes in Australia, Binjari virus (BinJV) and Hidden Valley (HVV), that grow efficiently mosquito cells but fail to replicate a range of vertebrate cell lines. Phylogenetic analysis revealed BinJV HVV were closely related (90% amino acid sequence identity) clustered with lineage II (dual-host affiliated) ISFs, including the Lammi Nounané viruses. Using panel monoclonal antibodies prepared viral proteins, we confirmed...
The structure of an infectious immature flavivirus redefines viral architecture and maturation.
Abstract The epidemic emergence of relatively rare and geographically isolated flaviviruses adds to the ongoing disease burden viruses such as dengue. Structural analysis is key understand combat these pathogens. Here, we present a chimeric platform based on an insect-specific flavivirus for safe rapid structural pathogenic viruses. We use this approach resolve architecture two neurotropic structure dengue virus at 2.5 Å, highest resolution enveloped virion. These reconstructions allow...
Flaviviruses such as West Nile virus (WNV), dengue and Zika are mosquito-borne pathogens that cause significant human diseases. A novel group of insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs), which only replicate in mosquitoes, have also been identified. However, little is known about the mechanisms ISF host restriction. We report generation infectious cDNA from two Australian ISFs, Parramatta River (PaRV) Palm Creek (PCV). Using circular polymerase extension cloning (CPEC) with a modified OpIE2...
Virulent strains of West Nile virus (WNV) are highly neuro-invasive and human infection is potentially lethal. However, no vaccine currently available for use. Here, we report the immunogenicity protective efficacy a derived from chimeric virus, which was constructed using structural proteins (prM E) Kunjin strain WNV (WNVKUN) genome backbone insect-specific flavivirus Binjari (BinJV). This (BinJ/WNVKUN-prME) exhibits an phenotype does not replicate in vertebrate cells. Importantly, it...
Binjari virus (BinJV) is a lineage II or dual-host affiliated insect-specific flavivirus previously demonstrated as replication-deficient in vertebrate cells. Previous studies have shown that BinJV tolerant to exchanging its structural proteins (prM-E) with pathogenic flaviviruses, making it safe backbone for vaccines. Here, we report generation by circular polymerase extension reaction of expressing zsGreen mCherry fluorescent protein. Recovered reporter viruses grew high titres (107−8...
With advances in sequencing technologies, there has been an increase the discovery of viruses that do not group with any currently described virus families. The newly taxon Negevirus encompasses a displaying insect-specific phenotype which have isolated from multiple host species on numerous continents. Using broad-spectrum screening assay based detection double-stranded RNA and next-generation sequencing, we detected novel negevirus, Anopheles, Culex, Aedes mosquitoes collected 4...
Here we report the generation of novel chimeric flaviviruses, which express prM and E proteins either dengue or Zika viruses on genomic backbone Palm Creek virus (PCV), an insect-specific flavivirus. The particles were antigenically indistinguishable from their parental prM–E donors, but unable to infect vertebrate cells. An additional chimera (PCV structural genes in West Nile – WNV/PCV-prME) was also cells, transfection with RNA this resulted detectable replication translation no...
We report the isolation of Australian strains Bustos virus and Ngewotan virus, two insect-specific viruses in newly identified taxon Negevirus, originally isolated from Southeast Asian mosquitoes. Consistent with expected tropism negeviruses, these isolates viruses, alongside negevirus Castlerea replicated exclusively mosquito cells but not vertebrate cells, even when their temperature was reduced to 34 °C. Our data confirmed existence structural proteins, putatively one membrane protein...
Flavivirids are small, enveloped, positive-sense RNA viruses from the family Flaviviridae with genomes of ~9–13 kb. Metatranscriptomic analyses metazoan organisms have revealed a diversity flavivirus-like or flavivirid viral sequences in fish and marine invertebrate groups. However, no virus has been identified amphibians. To remedy this, we investigated virome European common frog ( Rana temporaria ) UK, utilizing high-throughput sequencing at six catch locations. De novo assembly...
Arthropod-borne flaviviruses such as yellow fever (YFV), Zika and dengue viruses continue to cause significant human disease globally. These are transmitted by mosquitoes when a female imbibes an infected blood-meal from viremic vertebrate host expectorates the virus into subsequent host. Bamaga (BgV) is flavivirus recently discovered in Culex sitiens subgroup collected Cape York Peninsula, Australia. This phylogenetically clusters with YFV group, but potentially restricted most vertebrates....
We describe a virus isolated from Culex annulirostris mosquitoes in Australia. Phylogenetic analysis of its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequence and that other related viruses revealed 6 clades, two which corresponded wholly or partly with existing genera the family Nodaviridae. There was greater genetic diversity within than previously recognized prompting us to suggest additional should be considered family.
The Mesoniviridae are a newly assigned family of viruses in the order Nidovirales. Unlike other nidoviruses, which include Coronaviridae, mesoniviruses restricted to mosquito hosts and do not infect vertebrate cells. To date there is little information on morphological antigenic characteristics this new group dearth mesonivirus-specific research tools. In study we determined genetic relationships recent Australian isolates Alphamesonivirus 4 (Casuarina virus—CASV) 1 (Nam Dinh virus—NDiV),...
The family Birnaviridae are a group of non-enveloped double-stranded RNA viruses which infect poultry, aquatic animals and insects. This includes agriculturally important pathogens poultry fish. Recently, next-generation sequencing technologies have identified closely related birnaviruses in Culex, Aedes Anopheles mosquitoes. Using broad-spectrum system based on detection long RNA, we discovered isolated birnavirus from notoscriptus mosquitoes collected northern New South Wales, Australia....
A subset of Australians who have been bitten by ticks experience a complex chronic and debilitating symptoms which cannot be attributed to the known pathogenic species bacteria present in Australia. As result, there has renewed effort identify characterise viruses Australian terrestrial ticks. Recent transcriptome sequencing Ixodes Amblyomma revealed presence multiple virus sequences. However, without isolates our ability understand host range pathogenesis newly identified is limited. We...
Mosquito-borne flaviviruses are significant contributors to the arboviral disease burdens both in Australia and globally. While routine arbovirus surveillance remains a vital exercise identify known mosquito populations, novel or divergent emerging species can be missed by these traditional methods. The MAVRIC (monoclonal antibodies viral RNA intermediates cells) system is an ELISA-based method for broad-spectrum isolation of positive-sense double-stranded (dsRNA) viruses based on detection...
Tick-borne orthoflaviviruses (TBFs) are classified into three conventional groups based on genetics and ecology: mammalian, seabird probable-TBF group. Recently, a fourth basal group has been identified in Rhipicephalus ticks from Africa: Mpulungu flavivirus (MPFV) Zambia Ngoye virus (NGOV) Senegal. Despite attempts, isolating these viruses vertebrate invertebrate cell lines or intracerebral injection of newborn mice with virus-containing homogenates remained unsuccessful. In this study, we...
The use of dengue virus (DENV) vaccines has been hindered by the complexities antibody dependent enhancement (ADE). Current late-stage vaccine candidates utilize attenuated and chimeric DENVs that produce particles varying maturities. Antibodies are elicited preferentially exposed epitopes on immature virions have linked to increased ADE. We aimed further understand humoral immunity promoted DENV maturities in an AG129 mouse model using a insect specific candidate, bDENV-2. immunized mice...
Abstract BackgroundA subset of Australians who have been bitten by ticks experience a complex chronic and debilitating symptoms which cannot be attributed to the known pathogenic species bacteria present in Australia. As result, there has renewed effort identify characterise viruses Australian terrestrial ticks. Recent transcriptome sequencing Ixodes Amblyomma revealed presence multiple virus sequences. However, without isolates our ability understand host-range pathogenesis newly identified...
Abstract Flavivirids are small, enveloped, positive-sense RNA viruses from the Flaviviridae family with genomes between ∼9-13kb. Metatranscriptomic analyses of metazoan organisms have revealed a diversity flavivirus-like or flavivirid viral sequences in fish and marine invertebrate groups. To date, however, no has been identified amphibians. remedy this, we investigated virome European common frog ( Rana temporaria ) United Kingdom, utilising high-throughput sequencing at six catch...