A5075639363- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
- Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Plant Gene Expression Analysis
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Vasculitis and related conditions
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Sarcoidosis and Beryllium Toxicity Research
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Respiratory viral infections research
MRC University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
2016-2025
University of Dundee
2024
University of Liverpool
2024
University of Surrey
2024
Institute of Virology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
2024
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
2024
Medical Research Council
2016-2024
GTx (United States)
2024
University of Glasgow
2021
Iowa State University
2017
The outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas has transformed a previously obscure mosquito-transmitted arbovirus Flaviviridae family into major public health concern. Little is currently known about evolution and biology ZIKV factors that contribute to associated pathogenesis. Determining genomic sequences clinical viral isolates characterization elements within these are an important prerequisite advance our understanding replicative processes virus-host interactions.We obtained...
The recent emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the underlying cause Disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led to a worldwide pandemic causing substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic devastation. In response, many laboratories have redirected attention SARS-CoV-2, meaning there is an urgent need for tools that can be used in unaccustomed working with coronaviruses. Here we report range SARS-CoV-2 research. First, describe facile single plasmid reverse...
Significance Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a deadly tick-borne viral pathogen. Since first being reported in China 2009, SFTSV has spread throughout South Korea and Japan, mortality rates reaching up to 30%. The surface of the virion decorated by two glycoproteins, Gn Gc. Here, we report atomic-level structure Gc glycoprotein conformation formed during uptake into host cell. Our analysis reveals conformational changes that undergoes cell infection provides...
ABSTRACT Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen that was first reported in China 2009. Phylogenetic analysis of the viral genome showed SFTS represents a new lineage within Phlebovirus genus, distinct from existing sandfly and Uukuniemi groups, family Bunyaviridae . disease characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, chills, joint pain, myalgia, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, some hemorrhagic manifestations case fatality rate about 2...
The recent global outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been linked to severe neurological disorders affecting the peripheral and central nervous systems (PNS CNS, respectively). pathobiology underlying these diverse clinical phenotypes are subject intense research; however, even principal neural cell types vulnerable productive remain poorly characterised. Here we used CNS PNS myelinating cultures from wild type Ifnar1 knockout mice examine neuronal glial tropism short-term...
Bunyaviruses pose a significant threat to human health, prosperity, and food security. In response viral infections, interferons (IFNs) upregulate the expression of hundreds interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), whose cumulative action can potently inhibit replication bunyaviruses. We used flow cytometry-based method screen ability ∼500 unique ISGs from humans rhesus macaques Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus (BUNV), prototype both Peribunyaviridae family Bunyavirales order. Candidates possessing...
The emerging bunyavirus Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is transmitted to humans and livestock by a large number of mosquito species. RNA interference (RNAi) has been characterized as an important innate immune defense mechanism used mosquitoes limit replication positive-sense flaviviruses togaviruses; however, little known about its role against negative-strand viruses such RVFV. We show that virus-specific small RNAs are produced in infected cells, Drosophila melanogaster and, most...
The Gn subcomponent of the Gn-Gc assembly that envelopes human and animal pathogen, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), is a primary target neutralizing antibody response. To better understand molecular basis for immune recognition, we raised class monoclonal antibodies (nAbs) against RVFV Gn, which exhibited protective efficacy in mouse infection model. Structural characterization revealed these nAbs were directed to membrane-distal domain likely prevented entry into host cell by blocking...
Significance Bunyamwera virus (BUNV) is the prototype of Orthobunyavirus genus and Bunyaviridae family that contains important human animal pathogens. The cleavage mechanism orthobunyavirus glycoprotein precursor (GPC) host proteases involved have not been clarified. Here we found NSm Gc contain their own internal signal peptides, which mediate GPC by peptidase peptide (SPP). Furthermore, domain-I plays an postcleavage role in cell fusion. Our data clarified implication processing GPC. This...
ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; family Bunyaviridae ) is a clinically important, mosquito-borne pathogen of both livestock and humans, which found mainly in sub-Saharan Africa the Arabian Peninsula. RVFV has trisegmented single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) genome. The L M segments are negative sense encode protein (viral polymerase) on segment virion glycoproteins Gn Gc as well two other proteins, NSm 78K, segment. S uses an ambisense coding strategy to express nucleocapsid protein, N,...
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV, family Bunyaviridae) is a mosquito-borne pathogen of both livestock and humans, found primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa the Arabian Peninsula. The viral genome comprises two negative-sense (L M segments) one ambisense (S segment) RNAs that encode seven proteins. S segment encodes nucleocapsid (N) protein nonstructural (NSs) positive-sense, though NSs cannot be translated directly from but rather specific subgenomic mRNA. Using reverse genetics we generated virus,...
Since 2011, there has been a large expansion in the number of emerging tick-borne viruses that have assigned to Phlebovirus genus. Heartland virus (HRTV) and SFTS (SFTSV) were found cause severe disease humans, unlike other documented phleboviruses such as Uukuniemi (UUKV). Phleboviruses encode nonstructural proteins (NSs) enable them counteract human innate antiviral defenses. We assessed how these interacted with immune system. UUKV NSs engaged factors only weakly, at one early step....
Abstract Background Human and animal cases of Rift Valley fever (RVF) are typically only reported during large outbreaks. The occurrence RVF that go undetected by national surveillance systems in the period between these outbreaks is considered likely. last Tanzania occurred a outbreak 2007–2008. Methods Samples collected 2017 2019 from livestock suffering abortion across northern were retrospectively tested for evidence virus infection using serology reverse transcription quantitative...
Objectives Tick‐borne encephalitis virus and louping ill are neurotropic flaviviruses transmitted by ticks. Epidemiologically, tick‐borne is endemic in Europe whereas ill's predominant geographical distribution the UK. Rarely, these affect dogs causing neurological signs. This case series aimed to describe clinical, clinicopathological, imaging findings, as well outcomes six with meningoencephalitis and/or meningomyelitis caused a flavivirus UK 2021. Materials Methods Observational...
The exogenous siRNA (exo-siRNA) pathway is a critical RNA interference response involved in controlling arbovirus replication mosquito cells. It initiated by the detection of viral long double-stranded (dsRNA) RNase III enzyme Dicer 2 (Dcr2), which processed into predominantly 21 nucleotide (nt) virus-derived small interfering RNAs, or vsiRNAs that are taken up Argonaute (Ago2) protein to target single-stranded RNAs. detailed understanding structure, function and domains owes much studies...
Viruses transmitted by biting arthropods, arboviruses, pose a significant global health and economic threat. Climate change is exacerbating this issue expanding the range of disease-carrying vectors. Effective control arbovirus transmission often relies on targeting vectors, making it crucial to understand interactions between virus its vector. The exogenous siRNA (exo-siRNA) pathway key antiviral defence mechanism in mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti. Argonaute 2 (Ago2) central protein...
A novel bunyavirus was recently found to cause severe febrile illness with high mortality in agricultural regions of China, Japan, and South Korea. This virus, named fever thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), represents a new group within the Phlebovirus genus Bunyaviridae. Little is known about viral entry requirements beyond showing dependence on dynamin endosomal acidification. haploid forward genetic screen performed identify host cell for SFTSV entry. The identified glucosylceramide...
SFTS phlebovirus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne bunyavirus that was first reported in China 2009. Here we report the generation of a recombinant SFTSV (rHB29NSsKO) cannot express viral nonstructural protein (NSs) upon infection cells culture. We show rHB29NSsKO replication kinetics are greater interferon (IFN)-incompetent and virus unable to suppress IFN induced response replication. The data confirm for time context NSs acts as virally encoded antagonist dispensable Using 3' rapid...
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne classified within the Banyangvirus genus. SFTS disease has been reported throughout East Asia since 2009 and characterized by high fever, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia a 12 to 30% case fatality rate. Due recent emergence of SFTSV, there little time conduct research into preventative measures aimed at combatting virus. SFTSV listed as one World Health Organization's Prioritized Pathogens for antiviral...
Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV) is a clinically and economically important pathogen increasingly likely to cause widespread epidemics. RVFV virulence depends on the interferon antagonist non-structural protein (NSs), which remains poorly characterized. We identified stable core domain of NSs (residues 83–248), solved its crystal structure, novel all-helical fold organized into highly ordered fibrils. A hallmark pathology filament formation in infected cell nuclei. Recombinant virus...
Many insect cell lines are persistently infected with insect-specific viruses (ISV) often unrecognized by the scientific community. Considering recent findings showing possibility of interference between arbovirus and ISV infections, it is important to pay attention ISV-infected lines. One example Entomobirnavirus, Culex Y virus (CYV). Here we describe detection CYV using a combination small RNA sequencing, electron microscopy PCR in mosquito Aag2, U4.4 C7-10. We found CYV-specific RNAs all...
Bunyaviruses have a tripartite negative-sense RNA genome. Due to the segmented nature of these viruses, if two closely related viruses coinfect same host or vector cell, it is possible that segments from either parental will be incorporated into progeny virions give reassortant viruses. Little known about ability tick-borne phleboviruses reassort. The present study describes development minigenome assays for Uukuniemi phlebovirus (UUKV) and Heartland (HRTV). We used in conjunction with...