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Blanco-Melo D, Campbell MA, Zhu H, Dennis TPW, Modha S, Lytras S, Hughes J, Gatseva A, Gifford RJ. A novel approach to exploring the dark genome and its application to mapping of the vertebrate virus fossil record. Genome Biol 2024; 25:120. [PMID: 38741126 PMCID: PMC11089739 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03258-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genomic regions that remain poorly understood, often referred to as the dark genome, contain a variety of functionally relevant and biologically informative features. These include endogenous viral elements (EVEs)-virus-derived sequences that can dramatically impact host biology and serve as a virus fossil record. In this study, we introduce a database-integrated genome screening (DIGS) approach to investigate the dark genome in silico, focusing on EVEs found within vertebrate genomes. RESULTS Using DIGS on 874 vertebrate genomes, we uncover approximately 1.1 million EVE sequences, with over 99% originating from endogenous retroviruses or transposable elements that contain EVE DNA. We show that the remaining 6038 sequences represent over a thousand distinct horizontal gene transfer events across 10 virus families, including some that have not previously been reported as EVEs. We explore the genomic and phylogenetic characteristics of non-retroviral EVEs and determine their rates of acquisition during vertebrate evolution. Our study uncovers novel virus diversity, broadens knowledge of virus distribution among vertebrate hosts, and provides new insights into the ecology and evolution of vertebrate viruses. CONCLUSIONS We comprehensively catalog and analyze EVEs within 874 vertebrate genomes, shedding light on the distribution, diversity, and long-term evolution of viruses and reveal their extensive impact on vertebrate genome evolution. Our results demonstrate the power of linking a relational database management system to a similarity search-based screening pipeline for in silico exploration of the dark genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Blanco-Melo
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Herbold Computational Biology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | | | - Henan Zhu
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Tristan P W Dennis
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Sejal Modha
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Spyros Lytras
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Joseph Hughes
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Anna Gatseva
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Robert J Gifford
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, 464 Bearsden Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
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2
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Felipe Benites L, Stephens TG, Van Etten J, James T, Christian WC, Barry K, Grigoriev IV, McDermott TR, Bhattacharya D. Hot springs viruses at Yellowstone National Park have ancient origins and are adapted to thermophilic hosts. Commun Biol 2024; 7:312. [PMID: 38594478 PMCID: PMC11003980 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05931-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Geothermal springs house unicellular red algae in the class Cyanidiophyceae that dominate the microbial biomass at these sites. Little is known about host-virus interactions in these environments. We analyzed the virus community associated with red algal mats in three neighboring habitats (creek, endolithic, soil) at Lemonade Creek, Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA. We find that despite proximity, each habitat houses a unique collection of viruses, with the giant viruses, Megaviricetes, dominant in all three. The early branching phylogenetic position of genes encoded on metagenome assembled virus genomes (vMAGs) suggests that the YNP lineages are of ancient origin and not due to multiple invasions from mesophilic habitats. The existence of genomic footprints of adaptation to thermophily in the vMAGs is consistent with this idea. The Cyanidiophyceae at geothermal sites originated ca. 1.5 Bya and are therefore relevant to understanding biotic interactions on the early Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Felipe Benites
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Timothy G Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Julia Van Etten
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Timeeka James
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - William C Christian
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Kerrie Barry
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Timothy R McDermott
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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3
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Bai C, Wang C, Lu Y. Novel Vectors and Administrations for mRNA Delivery. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303713. [PMID: 37475520 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
mRNA therapy has shown great potential in infectious disease vaccines, cancer immunotherapy, protein replacement therapy, gene editing, and other fields due to its central role in all life processes. However, mRNA is challenging to pass through the cell membrane due to its significant negative charges and degradation from RNase, so the key to mRNA therapy is efficient packaging and delivery of it with appropriate vectors. Presently researchers have developed various vectors such as viruses and liposomes, but these conventional vectors are now difficult to meet the growing requirement like safety, efficiency, and targeting, so many novel delivery vectors with unique advantages have emerged recently. This review mainly introduces two categories of novel vectors: biomacromolecules and inorganic nanoparticles, as well as two novel methods of control and administration based on these novel vectors: controlled-release administration and non-invasive administration. These novel delivery strategies have the advantages of high safety, biocompatibility, versatility, intelligence, and targeting. This paper analyzes the challenges faced by the field of mRNA delivery in depth, and discusses how to use the characteristics of novel vectors and administrations to solve these problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghai Bai
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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4
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Barnes M, Price DC. Endogenous Viral Elements in Ixodid Tick Genomes. Viruses 2023; 15:2201. [PMID: 38005880 PMCID: PMC10675110 DOI: 10.3390/v15112201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The documentation of endogenous viral elements (EVEs; virus-derived genetic material integrated into the genome of a nonviral host) has offered insights into how arthropods respond to viral infection via RNA interference pathways. Small non-coding RNAs derived from EVE loci serve to direct RNAi pathways in limiting replication and infection from cognate viruses, thus benefiting the host's fitness and, potentially, vectorial capacity. Here we use informatic approaches to analyze nine available genome sequences of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae; Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. microplus, R. annulatus, Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus, I. scapularis, Hyalomma asiaticum, Haemaphysalis longicornis, and Dermacentor silvarum) to identify endogenous viral elements and to illustrate the shared ancestry of all elements identified. Our results highlight a broad diversity of viral taxa as having given rise to 1234 identified EVEs in ticks, with Mononegavirales (specifically Rhabdoviridae) well-represented in this subset of hard ticks. Further investigation revealed extensive adintovirus integrations in several Ixodes species, the prevalence of Bunyavirales EVEs (notably not observed in mosquitoes), and the presence of several elements similar to known emerging human and veterinary pathogens. These results will inform subsequent work on current and past associations with tick species with regard to the viruses from which their "viral fossils" are derived and may serve as a reference for quality control of various tick-omics data that may suffer from misidentification of EVEs as viral genetic material.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dana C. Price
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA;
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5
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Bauer IL. The oral repellent - science fiction or common sense? Insects, vector-borne diseases, failing strategies, and a bold proposition. Trop Dis Travel Med Vaccines 2023; 9:7. [PMID: 37381000 DOI: 10.1186/s40794-023-00195-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, unimaginable amounts of money have gone into research and development of vector control measures, repellents, treatment, and vaccines for vector borne diseases. Technological progress and scientific breakthroughs allowed for ever more sophisticated and futuristic strategies. Yet, each year, millions of people still die or suffer from potentially serious consequences of malaria or dengue to more recent infections, such as zika or chikungunya, or of debilitating consequences of neglected tropical diseases. This does not seem value for money. In addition, all current vector control strategies and personal protection methods have shortcomings, some serious, that are either destructive to non-target species or unsatisfactory in their effectiveness. On the other hand, the rapid decline in insect populations and their predators reflects decades-long aggressive and indiscriminate vector control. This major disruption of biodiversity has an impact on human life not anticipated by the well-meaning killing of invertebrates. The objective of this paper is to re-examine current control methods, their effectiveness, their impact on biodiversity, human and animal health, and to call for scientific courage in the pursuit of fresh ideas. This paper brings together topics that are usually presented in isolation, thereby missing important links that offer potential solutions to long-standing problems in global health. First, it serves as a reminder of the importance of insects to human life and discusses the few that play a role in transmitting disease. Next, it examines critically the many currently employed vector control strategies and personal protection methods. Finally, based on new insights into insect chemo-sensation and attractants, this perspective makes a case for revisiting a previously abandoned idea, the oral repellent, and its use via currently successful methods of mass-application. The call is out for focused research to provide a powerful tool for public health, tropical medicine, and travel medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irmgard L Bauer
- College of Healthcare Sciences, Academy - Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
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6
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Dezordi FZ, Coutinho GB, Dias YJM, Wallau GL. Ancient origin of Jingchuvirales derived glycoproteins integrated in arthropod genomes. Genet Mol Biol 2023; 46:e20220218. [PMID: 37036390 PMCID: PMC10084718 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2022-0218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Endogenous virus elements (EVEs) are viral-derived sequences integrated into their host genomes. EVEs of the Jingchuvirales order were detected in a wide range of insect genomes covering several distantly related families. Moreover, Jingchuvirales-derived glycoproteins were recently associated by our group with the origin of a putative new retrovirus based on a glycoprotein captured by a mosquito retrotransposon. But, except for mosquitoes, there is a lack of a more detailed understanding of the endogenization mechanism, timing, and frequency per Jingchuvirales viral lineages. Here we screened Jingchuvirales glycoprotein-derived EVEs (Jg-EVEs) in eukaryotic genomes. We found six distinct endogenization events of Jg-EVEs, that belong to two out of five known Jingchuvirales families (Chuviridae and Natareviridae). For seven arthropod families bearing Jg-EVEs there is no register of bona fide circulating chuvirus infection. Hence, our results show that Jingchuvirales viruses infected or still infect these host families. Although we found abundant evidence of LTR-Gypsy retrotransposons fragments associated with the glycoprotein in Hymenoptera and other insect orders, our results show that the widespread distribution of Jingchuvirales glycoproteins in extant Arhtropods is a result of multiple ancient endogenization events and that these virus fossils are being vertically inherited in Arthropods genomes for millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Zimmer Dezordi
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Departamento de Entomologia, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Núcleo de Bioinformática, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Gutembergmann Batista Coutinho
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Departamento de Entomologia, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Biociências, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Yago José Mariz Dias
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Departamento de Entomologia, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Núcleo de Bioinformática, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Biociências, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Luz Wallau
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Departamento de Entomologia, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Aggeu Magalhães (IAM), Núcleo de Bioinformática, Recife, PE, Brazil
- WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Arbovirology, Hamburg, Germany
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7
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Wang Z, Yuan Y, Zheng G, Sun M, Wang Q, Wu J, Li J, Sun C, Wang Y, Yang N, Lian L. Short communication: diversity of endogenous avian leukosis virus subgroup E elements in 11 chicken breeds. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:skad081. [PMID: 36932970 PMCID: PMC10103068 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian leukosis virus subgroup E (ALVE) as a kind of endogenous retroviruses extensively exists in chicken genome. The insertion of ALVE has some effects on chicken production traits and appearance. Most of the work on ALVEs has been done with commercial breeds. We present here an investigation of ALVE elements in seven Chinese domestic breeds and four standard breeds. Firstly, we established an ALVE insertion site dataset by using the obsERVer pipeline to identify ALVEs from whole-genome sequence data of eleven chicken breeds, seven Chinese domestic breeds, including Beijing You (BY), Dongxiang (DX), Luxi Game (LX), Shouguang (SG), Silkie (SK), Tibetan (TB) and Wenchang (WC), four standard breeds, including White Leghorn (WL), White Plymouth Rock (WR), Cornish (CS), and Rhode Island Red (RIR). A total of 37 ALVE insertion sites were identified and 23 of them were novel. Most of these insertion sites were distributed in intergenic regions and introns. We then used locus-specific PCR to validate the insertion sites in an expanded population with 18~60 individuals in each breed. The results showed that all predicted integration sites in 11 breeds were verified by PCR. Some ALVE insertion sites were breeds specific, and 16 out of 23 novel ALVEs were found in only one Chinese domestic chicken breed. We randomly selected three ALVE insertions including ALVE_CAU005, ALVE_ros127, and ALVE_ros276, and obtained their insertion sequences by long-range PCR and Sanger sequencing. The insertion sequences were all 7525 bp, which were full-length ALVE insertion and all of them were highly homologous to ALVE1 with similarity of 99%. Our study identified the distribution of ALVE in 11 chicken breeds, which expands the current research on ALVE in Chinese domestic breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yiming Yuan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Gang Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Meng Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qinyuan Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junfeng Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junying Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Congjiao Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yongqiang Wang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ning Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ling Lian
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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8
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W B Jr M, A S R, P M, F B. Cellular and Natural Viral Engineering in Cognition-Based Evolution. Commun Integr Biol 2023; 16:2196145. [PMID: 37153718 PMCID: PMC10155641 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2023.2196145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neo-Darwinism conceptualizes evolution as the continuous succession of predominately random genetic variations disciplined by natural selection. In that frame, the primary interaction between cells and the virome is relegated to host-parasite dynamics governed by selective influences. Cognition-Based Evolution regards biological and evolutionary development as a reciprocating cognition-based informational interactome for the protection of self-referential cells. To sustain cellular homeorhesis, cognitive cells collaborate to assess the validity of ambiguous biological information. That collective interaction involves coordinate measurement, communication, and active deployment of resources as Natural Cellular Engineering. These coordinated activities drive multicellularity, biological development, and evolutionary change. The virome participates as the vital intercessory among the cellular domains to ensure their shared permanent perpetuation. The interactions between the virome and the cellular domains represent active virocellular cross-communications for the continual exchange of resources. Modular genetic transfers between viruses and cells carry bioactive potentials. Those exchanges are deployed as nonrandom flexible tools among the domains in their continuous confrontation with environmental stresses. This alternative framework fundamentally shifts our perspective on viral-cellular interactions, strengthening established principles of viral symbiogenesis. Pathogenesis can now be properly appraised as one expression of a range of outcomes between cells and viruses within a larger conceptual framework of Natural Viral Engineering as a co-engineering participant with cells. It is proposed that Natural Viral Engineering should be viewed as a co-existent facet of Natural Cellular Engineering within Cognition-Based Evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miller W B Jr
- Banner Health Systems - Medicine, Paradise Valley, Arizona, AZ, USA
- CONTACT Miller W B Jr Paradise Valley, Arizona, AZ85253, USA
| | - Reber A S
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marshall P
- Department of Engineering, Evolution 2.0, Oak Park, IL, USA
| | - Baluška F
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Botany, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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9
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First Evidence of Past and Present Interactions between Viruses and the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061274. [PMID: 35746744 PMCID: PMC9231314 DOI: 10.3390/v14061274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Black soldier flies (BSFs, Hermetia illucens) are becoming a prominent research model encouraged by the insect as food and feed and waste bioconversion industries. Insect mass-rearing facilities are at risk from the spread of viruses, but so far, none have been described in BSFs. To fill this knowledge gap, a bioinformatic approach was undertaken to discover viruses specifically associated with BSFs. First, BSF genomes were screened for the presence of endogenous viral elements (EVEs). This led to the discovery and mapping of seven orthologous EVEs integrated into three BSF genomes originating from five viral families. Secondly, a virus discovery pipeline was used to screen BSF transcriptomes. This led to detecting a new exogenous totivirus that we named hermetia illucens totivirus 1 (HiTV1). Phylogenetic analyses showed this virus belongs to a clade of insect-specific totiviruses and is closely related to the largest EVE located on chromosome 1 of the BSF genome. Lastly, this EVE was found to express a small transcript in some BSFs infected by HiTV1. Altogether, this data mining study showed that far from being unscathed from viruses, BSFs bear traces of past interactions with several viral families and of present interactions with the exogenous HiTV1.
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10
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The new Haemaphysalis longicornis genome provides insights into its requisite biological traits. Genomics 2022; 114:110317. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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11
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Horie M. [One hundred million years history of bornavirus infection]. Uirusu 2022; 72:47-54. [PMID: 37899229 DOI: 10.2222/jsv.72.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
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12
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Irwin NAT, Pittis AA, Richards TA, Keeling PJ. Systematic evaluation of horizontal gene transfer between eukaryotes and viruses. Nat Microbiol 2021; 7:327-336. [PMID: 34972821 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-01026-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Gene exchange between viruses and their hosts acts as a key facilitator of horizontal gene transfer and is hypothesized to be a major driver of evolutionary change. Our understanding of this process comes primarily from bacteria and phage co-evolution, but the mode and functional importance of gene transfers between eukaryotes and their viruses remain anecdotal. Here we systematically characterized viral-eukaryotic gene exchange across eukaryotic and viral diversity, identifying thousands of transfers and revealing their frequency, taxonomic distribution and projected functions. Eukaryote-derived viral genes, abundant in the Nucleocytoviricota, highlighted common strategies for viral host-manipulation, including metabolic reprogramming, proteolytic degradation and extracellular modification. Furthermore, viral-derived eukaryotic genes implicate genetic exchange in the early evolution and diversification of eukaryotes, particularly through viral-derived glycosyltransferases, which have impacted structures as diverse as algal cell walls, trypanosome mitochondria and animal tissues. These findings illuminate the nature of viral-eukaryotic gene exchange and its impact on the evolution of viruses and their eukaryotic hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A T Irwin
- Merton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Alexandros A Pittis
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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Zhao L, Lavington E, Duffy S. Truly ubiquitous CRESS DNA viruses scattered across the eukaryotic tree of life. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1901-1916. [PMID: 34498333 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Until recently, most viruses detected and characterized were of economic significance, associated with agricultural and medical diseases. This was certainly true for the eukaryote-infecting circular Rep (replication-associated protein)-encoding single-stranded DNA (CRESS DNA) viruses, which were thought to be a relatively small group of viruses. With the explosion of metagenomic sequencing over the past decade and increasing use of rolling-circle replication for sequence amplification, scientists have identified and annotated copious numbers of novel CRESS DNA viruses - many without known hosts but which have been found in association with eukaryotes. Similar advances in cellular genomics have revealed that many eukaryotes have endogenous sequences homologous to viral Reps, which not only provide 'fossil records' to reconstruct the evolutionary history of CRESS DNA viruses but also reveal potential host species for viruses known by their sequences alone. The Rep protein is a conserved protein that all CRESS DNA viruses use to assist rolling-circle replication that is known to be endogenized in a few eukaryotic species (notably tobacco and water yam). A systematic search for endogenous Rep-like sequences in GenBank's non-redundant eukaryotic database was performed using tBLASTn. We utilized relaxed search criteria for the capture of integrated Rep sequence within eukaryotic genomes, identifying 93 unique species with an endogenized fragment of Rep in their nuclear, plasmid (one species), mitochondrial (six species) or chloroplast (eight species) genomes. These species come from 19 different phyla, scattered across the eukaryotic tree of life. Exogenous and endogenous CRESS DNA viral Rep tree topology suggested potential hosts for one family of uncharacterized viruses and supports a primarily fungal host range for genomoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Zhao
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Erik Lavington
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Siobain Duffy
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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14
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Segel M, Lash B, Song J, Ladha A, Liu CC, Jin X, Mekhedov SL, Macrae RK, Koonin EV, Zhang F. Mammalian retrovirus-like protein PEG10 packages its own mRNA and can be pseudotyped for mRNA delivery. Science 2021; 373:882-889. [PMID: 34413232 DOI: 10.1126/science.abg6155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes contain domesticated genes from integrating viruses and mobile genetic elements. Among these are homologs of the capsid protein (known as Gag) of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons and retroviruses. We identified several mammalian Gag homologs that form virus-like particles and one LTR retrotransposon homolog, PEG10, that preferentially binds and facilitates vesicular secretion of its own messenger RNA (mRNA). We showed that the mRNA cargo of PEG10 can be reprogrammed by flanking genes of interest with Peg10's untranslated regions. Taking advantage of this reprogrammability, we developed selective endogenous encapsidation for cellular delivery (SEND) by engineering both mouse and human PEG10 to package, secrete, and deliver specific RNAs. Together, these results demonstrate that SEND is a modular platform suited for development as an efficient therapeutic delivery modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Segel
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Blake Lash
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jingwei Song
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Alim Ladha
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Catherine C Liu
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xin Jin
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Sergei L Mekhedov
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Rhiannon K Macrae
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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15
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Franzo G, Menandro ML, Tucciarone CM, Barbierato G, Crovato L, Mondin A, Libanora M, Obber F, Orusa R, Robetto S, Citterio C, Grassi L. Canine Circovirus in Foxes from Northern Italy: Where Did It All Begin? Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10081002. [PMID: 34451466 PMCID: PMC8400258 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Canine circovirus (CanineCV) is a recently identified virus affecting both domestic and wild carnivores, including foxes, sometimes in presence of severe clinical signs. Its circulation in wild animals can thus represent a potential threat for endangered species conservation and an infection source for dogs. Nevertheless, no data were available on its circulation in the Alps region of Northern Italy. In the present study, samples collected from 186 foxes in the period 2009–2020 from Valle d’Aosta and Veneto regions were tested using a real-time PCR assay, demonstrating a viral circulation of approximatively 2–5%, depending on the considered regions. Two complete or almost complete genome sequences were obtained, highlighting that the detected strains were part of a so defined “fox only” clade, which suggests that, despite common contact opportunities, Alps foxes are not involved in frequent transmission events to domestic dogs. Such genetic isolation could be at least partially attributed to some sort of independent evolution occurred in the foxes, leading to species barrier. Additionally, CanineCV strains in foxes from Italy were unexpectedly related to those previously identified in foxes from the United Kingdom and Scandinavian area. Combining the history of fox distribution in Europe since the last glacial maximum (LGM) with the viral history allowed us to speculate a long-standing coexistence between European canine circovirus and this host, justifying the peculiar geographic distribution and evolutionary paths of the fox infecting clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Franzo
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-049-827-2968
| | - Maria Luisa Menandro
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
| | - Claudia Maria Tucciarone
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
| | - Giacomo Barbierato
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
| | - Lorenzo Crovato
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
| | - Alessandra Mondin
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
| | - Martina Libanora
- O.U. of Ecopathology, SCT2 Belluno, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), 32100 Belluno, Italy; (M.L.); (F.O.); (C.C.)
| | - Federica Obber
- O.U. of Ecopathology, SCT2 Belluno, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), 32100 Belluno, Italy; (M.L.); (F.O.); (C.C.)
| | - Riccardo Orusa
- S.C. Valle d.’Aosta—National Reference Centre Wildlife Diseases, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta (IZS PLV)—Ce.R.M.A.S., 11020 Quart, AO, Italy; (R.O.); (S.R.)
| | - Serena Robetto
- S.C. Valle d.’Aosta—National Reference Centre Wildlife Diseases, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta (IZS PLV)—Ce.R.M.A.S., 11020 Quart, AO, Italy; (R.O.); (S.R.)
| | - Carlo Citterio
- O.U. of Ecopathology, SCT2 Belluno, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), 32100 Belluno, Italy; (M.L.); (F.O.); (C.C.)
| | - Laura Grassi
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (M.L.M.); (C.M.T.); (G.B.); (L.C.); (A.M.); (L.G.)
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16
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Human Endogenous Retrovirus Reactivation: Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13091999. [PMID: 33919186 PMCID: PMC8122352 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13091999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) derive from ancestral exogenous retroviruses whose genetic material has been integrated in our germline DNA. Several lines of evidence indicate that cancer immunotherapy may benefit from HERV reactivation, which can be induced either by drugs or by cellular changes occurring in tumor cells. Indeed, several studies indicate that HERV proviral DNA can be transcribed either to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that is sensed as a "danger signal" by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), leading to a viral mimicry state, or to mRNA that is translated into proteins that may contribute to the landscape of tumor-specific antigens (TSAs). Alternatively, HERV reactivation is associated with the expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In this review, we will highlight recent findings on HERV reactivation in cancer and its implications for cancer immunotherapy.
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17
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Wang J, Han GZ. Frequent Retroviral Gene Co-option during the Evolution of Vertebrates. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:3232-3242. [PMID: 32667990 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses are ubiquitous in the vertebrate genomes. On occasion, hosts recruited retroviral genes to mediate their own biological functions, a process formally known as co-option or exaptation. Much remains unknown about the extent of retroviral gene co-option in vertebrates, although more than ten retroviral gene co-option events have been documented. Here, we use a phylogenomic approach to analyze more than 700 vertebrate genomes to uncover retroviral gene co-option taking place during the evolution of vertebrates. We identify a total of 177 independent retroviral gene co-option events in vertebrates, a majority of which have not been reported previously. Among these retroviral gene co-option events, 93 and 84 involve gag and env genes, respectively. More than 78.0% (138 out of 177) of retroviral gene co-option occurred within mammals. The gag and env co-option events share a generally similar temporal pattern with less frequent retroviral gene co-option identified in the deep branches, suggesting that retroviral gene co-option might have not been maintained for very long time periods. Moreover, we find co-opted retroviral genes are subject to different selection pressure, implying potentially diverse cellular functionality. Our study provides a comprehensive picture of co-opted retroviral genes during the evolution of vertebrates and has implications in understanding the ancient evolution of vertebrate-retrovirus interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guan-Zhu Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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18
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Glebe D, Goldmann N, Lauber C, Seitz S. HBV evolution and genetic variability: Impact on prevention, treatment and development of antivirals. Antiviral Res 2020; 186:104973. [PMID: 33166575 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) poses a major global health burden with 260 million people being chronically infected and 890,000 dying annually from complications in the course of the infection. HBV is a small enveloped virus with a reverse-transcribed DNA genome that infects hepatocytes and can cause acute and chronic infections of the liver. HBV is endemic in humans and apes representing the prototype member of the viral family Hepadnaviridae and can be divided into 10 genotypes. Hepadnaviruses have been found in all vertebrate classes and constitute an ancient viral family that descended from non-enveloped progenitors more than 360 million years ago. The de novo emergence of the envelope protein gene was accompanied with the liver-tropism and resulted in a tight virus-host association. The oldest HBV genomes so far have been isolated from human remains of the Bronze Age and the Neolithic (~7000 years before present). Despite the remarkable stability of the hepadnaviral genome over geological eras, HBV is able to rapidly evolve within an infected individual under pressure of the immune response or during antiviral treatment. Treatment with currently available antivirals blocking intracellular replication of HBV allows controlling of high viremia and improving liver health during long-term therapy of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but they are not sufficient to cure the disease. New therapy options that cover all HBV genotypes and emerging viral variants will have to be developed soon. In addition to the antiviral treatment of chronically infected patients, continued efforts to expand the global coverage of the currently available HBV vaccine will be one of the key factors for controlling the rising global spread of HBV. Certain improvements of the vaccine (e.g. inclusion of PreS domains) could counteract known problems such as low or no responsiveness of certain risk groups and waning anti-HBs titers leading to occult infections, especially with HBV genotypes E or F. But even with an optimal vaccine and a cure for hepatitis B, global eradication of HBV would be difficult to achieve because of an existing viral reservoir in primates and bats carrying closely related hepadnaviruses with zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter Glebe
- Institute of Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, National Reference Centre for Hepatitis B Viruses and Hepatitis D Viruses, Schubertstr. 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Sites Giessen, Heidelberg, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Nora Goldmann
- Institute of Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, National Reference Centre for Hepatitis B Viruses and Hepatitis D Viruses, Schubertstr. 81, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Chris Lauber
- Division of Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; Research Group Computational Virology, Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, A Joint Venture Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, Cluster of Excellence RESIST, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Sites Giessen, Heidelberg, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Seitz
- Division of Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Sites Giessen, Heidelberg, Hannover, Germany.
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19
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Mason AS, Miedzinska K, Kebede A, Bamidele O, Al-Jumaili AS, Dessie T, Hanotte O, Smith J. Diversity of endogenous avian leukosis virus subgroup E (ALVE) insertions in indigenous chickens. Genet Sel Evol 2020; 52:29. [PMID: 32487054 PMCID: PMC7268647 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-020-00548-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Avian leukosis virus subgroup E (ALVE) insertions are endogenous retroviruses (ERV) that are restricted to the domestic chicken and its wild progenitor. In commercial chickens, ALVE are known to have a detrimental effect on productivity and provide a source for recombination with exogenous retroviruses. The wider diversity of ALVE in non-commercial chickens and the role of these elements in ERV-derived immunity (EDI) are yet to be investigated. Results In total, 974 different ALVE were identified from 407 chickens sampled from village populations in Ethiopia, Iraq, and Nigeria, using the recently developed obsERVer bioinformatics identification pipeline. Eighty-eight percent of all identified ALVE were novel, bringing the known number of ALVE integrations to more than 1300 across all analysed chickens. ALVE content was highly lineage-specific and populations generally exhibited a large diversity of ALVE at low frequencies, which is typical for ERV involved in EDI. A significantly larger number of ALVE was found within or near coding regions than expected by chance, although a relative depletion of ALVE was observed within coding regions, which likely reflects selection against deleterious integrations. These effects were less pronounced than in previous analyses of chickens from commercial lines. Conclusions Identification of more than 850 novel ALVE has trebled the known diversity of these retroviral elements. This work provides the basis for future studies to fully quantify the role of ALVE in immunity against exogenous ALV, and development of programmes to improve the productivity and welfare of chickens in developing economies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Mason
- The University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK. .,The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Katarzyna Miedzinska
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Adebabay Kebede
- LiveGene-CTLGH, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Oladeji Bamidele
- African Chicken Genetic Gains, Department of Animal Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo, Ile Ife, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Ahmed S Al-Jumaili
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.,University of Anbar, Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq
| | - Tadelle Dessie
- LiveGene-CTLGH, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- LiveGene-CTLGH, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.,University of Anbar, Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq
| | - Jacqueline Smith
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
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20
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Gong Z, Zhang Y, Han GZ. Molecular fossils reveal ancient associations of dsDNA viruses with several phyla of fungi. Virus Evol 2020; 6:veaa008. [PMID: 32071765 PMCID: PMC7017919 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the infections of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses in fungi. Here, we use a paleovirological method to systematically identify the footprints of past dsDNA virus infections within the fungal genomes. We uncover two distinct groups of endogenous nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) in at least seven fungal phyla (accounting for about a third of known fungal phyla), revealing an unprecedented diversity of dsDNA viruses in fungi. Interestingly, one fungal dsDNA virus lineage infecting six fungal phyla is closely related to the giant virus Pithovirus, suggesting giant virus relatives might widely infect fungi. Co-speciation analyses indicate fungal NCLDVs mainly evolved through cross-species transmission. Taken together, our findings provide novel insights into the diversity and evolution of NCLDVs in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Guan-Zhu Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
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21
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Finding relationships among biological entities. LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2020. [PMCID: PMC7499094 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821364-3.00005-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Confusion over the concepts of “relationships” and “similarities” lies at the heart of many battles over the direction and intent of research projects. Here is a short story that demonstrates the difference between the two concepts: You look up at the clouds, and you begin to see the shape of a lion. The cloud has a tail, like a lion’s tale, and a fluffy head, like a lion’s mane. With a little imagination the mouth of the lion seems to roar down from the sky. You have succeeded in finding similarities between the cloud and a lion. If you look at a cloud and you imagine a tea kettle producing a head of steam and you recognize that the physical forces that create a cloud and the physical forces that produced steam from a heated kettle are the same, then you have found a relationship. Most popular classification algorithms operate by grouping together data objects that have similar properties or values. In so doing, they may miss finding the true relationships among objects. Traditionally, relationships among data objects are discovered by an intellectual process. In this chapter, we will discuss the scientific gains that come when we classify biological entities by relationships, not by their similarities.
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22
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Águeda-Pinto A, Lemos de Matos A, Pinheiro A, Neves F, de Sousa-Pereira P, Esteves PJ. Not so unique to Primates: The independent adaptive evolution of TRIM5 in Lagomorpha lineage. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226202. [PMID: 31830084 PMCID: PMC6907815 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The plethora of restriction factors with the ability to inhibit the replication of retroviruses have been widely studied and genetic hallmarks of evolutionary selective pressures in Primates have been well documented. One example is the tripartite motif-containing protein 5 alpha (TRIM5α), a cytoplasmic factor that restricts retroviral infection in a species-specific fashion. In Lagomorphs, similarly to what has been observed in Primates, the specificity of TRIM5 restriction has been assigned to the PRYSPRY domain. In this study, we present the first insight of an intra-genus variability within the Lagomorpha TRIM5 PRYSPRY domain. Remarkably, and considering just the 32 residue-long v1 region of this domain, the deduced amino acid sequences of Daurian pika (Ochotona dauurica) and steppe pika (O. pusilla) evidenced a high divergence when compared to the remaining Ochotona species, presenting values of 44% and 66% of amino acid differences, respectively. The same evolutionary pattern was also observed when comparing the v1 region of two Sylvilagus species members (47% divergence). However, and unexpectedly, the PRYSPRY domain of Lepus species exhibited a great conservation. Our results show a high level of variation in the PRYSPRY domain of Lagomorpha species that belong to the same genus. This suggests that, throughout evolution, the Lagomorpha TRIM5 should have been influenced by constant selective pressures, likely as a result of multiple different retroviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Águeda-Pinto
- CIBIO/InBio—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto,Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Lemos de Matos
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines, and Virotherapy (CIVV), The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Ana Pinheiro
- CIBIO/InBio—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto,Porto, Portugal
| | - Fabiana Neves
- CIBIO/InBio—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Patrícia de Sousa-Pereira
- CIBIO/InBio—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto,Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro J. Esteves
- CIBIO/InBio—Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto,Porto, Portugal
- CITS—Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias da Saúde, IPSN, CESPU,Gandra, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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23
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Plissonnier ML, Cottarel J, Piver E, Kullolli M, Centonze FG, Pitteri S, Farhan H, Meunier JC, Zoulim F, Parent R. LARP1 binding to hepatitis C virus particles is correlated with intracellular retention of viral infectivity. Virus Res 2019; 271:197679. [PMID: 31398365 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) virions contain a subset of host liver cells proteome often composed of interesting virus-interacting factors. A proteomic analysis performed on double gradient-purified clinical HCV highlighted the translation regulator LARP1 on these virions. This finding was validated using post-virion capture and immunoelectron microscopy, as well as immunoprecipitation applied to in vitro (Huh7.5 liver cells) grown (Gt2a, JFH1 strain) and patient-derived (Gt1a) HCV particles. Upon HCV infection of Huh7.5 cells, we observed a drastic transfer of LARP1 to lipid droplets, inducing colocalization with core proteins. RNAi-mediated depletion of LARP1 using the C911 control approach decreased extracellular infectivity of HCV Gt1a (H77), Gt2a (JFH1), and Gt3a (S52 chimeric strain), yet increased their intracellular infectivity. This latter effect was unrelated to changes in the hepatocyte secretory pathway, as evidenced using a functional RUSH assay. These results indicate that LARP1 binds to HCV, an event associated with retention of intracellular infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Laure Plissonnier
- Pathogenesis of Hepatitis B and C -DEVweCAN LabEx, INSERM U1052-CNRS 5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69008, Lyon, France
| | - Jessica Cottarel
- Pathogenesis of Hepatitis B and C -DEVweCAN LabEx, INSERM U1052-CNRS 5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69008, Lyon, France
| | - Eric Piver
- Morphogenesis and Antigenicity of HIV and Hepatitis Viruses, INSERM U966, Université de Tours, F-37000, Tours, France
| | - Majlinda Kullolli
- Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | | | - Sharon Pitteri
- Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Hesso Farhan
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, University of Oslo, N-0372, Olso, Norway
| | - Jean-Christophe Meunier
- Morphogenesis and Antigenicity of HIV and Hepatitis Viruses, INSERM U966, Université de Tours, F-37000, Tours, France
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- Pathogenesis of Hepatitis B and C -DEVweCAN LabEx, INSERM U1052-CNRS 5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69008, Lyon, France; Lyon University Hospital (Hospices civils de Lyon), Hepatogastroenterology Service, F-69001, Lyon, France
| | - Romain Parent
- Pathogenesis of Hepatitis B and C -DEVweCAN LabEx, INSERM U1052-CNRS 5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université de Lyon, F-69008, Lyon, France.
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Skirmuntt EC, Katzourakis A. The evolution of endogenous retroviral envelope genes in bats and their potential contribution to host biology. Virus Res 2019; 270:197645. [PMID: 31271763 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bats are the primary reservoirs and carriers of a wide range of viruses of unknown infectivity and pathogenic potential. Some of those if transmitted to other species can cause enormous economic losses in agriculture, and mortality in humans. Bats can be persistently infected with viruses while not showing any symptoms of disease, despite having high virus titre levels in their tissues and shedding virions for months or years after primary infection. It has been suggested that the lack of symptoms of viral infections and low mortality rate in bats might be due to immune adaptations that result from their long-term co-evolution with viruses. In this study, we screened all publicly available bat genomes from six bat families within which we have identified several envelope sequences of retroviral origin (gammaretroviruses). We analysed the identified sequences with Bayesian methods and maximum-likelihood inference to generate a phylogenetic tree with additional reference sequences of known endogenous and exogenous viral envelope genes. We also identified groups of orthologous viral envelopes and analysed them to determine if any of them might be an EVE (endogenous virus element) with an EDI (EVE- derived immunity) function or a candidate for a bat syncytin gene, which is an endogenized viral envelope, mostly known from its function in placentation in animals. Our study shows that bat genomes contain a substantial number of large, intact envelopes with open reading frames, which were found clustering closely on a phylogenetic tree reconstruction with syncytin sequences of other species. That might indicate that such sequences are good candidates for further bat-syncytin/EDI search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Cecylia Skirmuntt
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK
| | - Aris Katzourakis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.
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25
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Greenig M. HERVs, immunity, and autoimmunity: understanding the connection. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6711. [PMID: 30984482 PMCID: PMC6452852 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Since their discovery in the 1960s, further investigation into endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) has challenged the conventional view of viral sequences as exclusively parasitic elements. Once presumed to be a group of passive genetic relics, it is becoming increasingly clear that this view of ERVs, while generally accurate, is incorrect in many specific cases. Research has identified ERV genes that appear to be co-opted by their mammalian hosts, but the biological function of ERV elements in humans remains a controversial subject. One area that has attracted some attention in this domain is the role of co-opted ERV elements in mammalian immune systems. The relationship between ERVs and human autoimmune diseases has also been investigated, but has historically been treated as a separate topic. This review will summarize the current evidence concerning the phenotypic significance of ERVs, both in the healthy immune system and in manifestations of autoimmunity. Furthermore, it will evaluate the relationship between these fields of study, and propose previously-unexplored molecular mechanisms through which human endogenous retroviruses might contribute to certain autoimmune pathologies. Investigation into these novel mechanisms could further our understanding of the molecular basis of autoimmune disease, and may one day provide new targets for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Greenig
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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26
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Horizontal Transfer of a Retrotransposon from the Rice Planthopper to the Genome of an Insect DNA Virus. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01516-18. [PMID: 30626674 PMCID: PMC6401454 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01516-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This study provides an example of the horizontal transfer event from a rice planthopper genome to an IIV-6 genome. A small region of the IIV-6 genome (∼300 nt) is highly homologous to the sequences presented in high copy numbers of three rice planthopper genomes that are related to the SINEs, a class of retroposons. The expression of these planthopper SINE-like sequences was confirmed, and corresponding Piwi-interacting RNA-like small RNAs were identified and comprehensively characterized. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the giant invertebrate iridovirus IIV-6 obtains this SINE-related sequence from Sogatella furcifera through a horizontal transfer event in the past. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a horizontal transfer event between a planthopper and a giant DNA virus and also is the first evidence for the eukaryotic origin of genetic material in iridoviruses. Horizontal transfer of genetic materials between virus and host has been frequently identified. Three rice planthoppers, Laodelphax striatellus, Nilaparvata lugens, and Sogatella furcifera, are agriculturally important insects because they are destructive rice pests and also the vector of a number of phytopathogenic viruses. In this study, we discovered that a small region (∼300 nucleotides [nt]) of the genome of invertebrate iridescent virus 6 (IIV-6; genus Iridovirus, family Iridoviridae), a giant DNA virus that infects invertebrates but is not known to infect planthoppers, is highly homologous to the sequences present in high copy numbers in these three planthopper genomes. These sequences are related to the short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), a class of non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons (retroposons), suggesting a horizontal transfer event of a transposable element from the rice planthopper genome to the IIV-6 genome. In addition, a number of planthopper transcripts mapped to these rice planthopper SINE-like sequences (RPSlSs) were identified and appear to be transcriptionally regulated along the different developmental stages of planthoppers. Small RNAs derived from these RPSlSs are predominantly 26 to 28 nt long, which is a typical characteristic of PIWI-interacting RNAs. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that IIV-6 acquires a SINE-like retrotransposon from S. furcifera after the evolutionary divergence of the three rice planthoppers. This study provides further examples of the horizontal transfer of an insect transposon to virus and suggests the association of rice planthoppers with iridoviruses in the past or present. IMPORTANCE This study provides an example of the horizontal transfer event from a rice planthopper genome to an IIV-6 genome. A small region of the IIV-6 genome (∼300 nt) is highly homologous to the sequences presented in high copy numbers of three rice planthopper genomes that are related to the SINEs, a class of retroposons. The expression of these planthopper SINE-like sequences was confirmed, and corresponding Piwi-interacting RNA-like small RNAs were identified and comprehensively characterized. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the giant invertebrate iridovirus IIV-6 obtains this SINE-related sequence from Sogatella furcifera through a horizontal transfer event in the past. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a horizontal transfer event between a planthopper and a giant DNA virus and also is the first evidence for the eukaryotic origin of genetic material in iridoviruses.
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Abstract
In the past, viruses were considered nonliving infectious particles, little more than genetic material wrapped in a protein capsid. Today, virologists are beginning to think of viruses as living organisms that can be classified phylogenetically into defined species, much like any other living organism. The primary reasons for this shift in attitude can be partially attributed to the discovery of giant viruses, having large genomes and complex regulatory systems. Aside from that, it has become obvious that viruses lead complex lives; they evolve, speciate, and participate in the evolution of all classes of living organisms. In this chapter, we will discuss the early attempts to classify viruses, and review the biologic properties of the classes of virus that contain human pathogens.
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Dotto BR, Carvalho EL, da Silva AF, Dezordi FZ, Pinto PM, Campos TDL, Rezende AM, Wallau GDL. HTT-DB: new features and updates. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION 2018; 2018:4791205. [PMID: 29315358 PMCID: PMC7206651 DOI: 10.1093/database/bax102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal Transfer (HT) of genetic material between species is a common phenomenon among Bacteria and Archaea species and several databases are available for information retrieval and data mining. However, little attention has been given to this phenomenon among eukaryotic species mainly due to the lower proportion of these events. In the last years, a vertiginous amount of new HT events involving eukaryotic species was reported in the literature, highlighting the need of a common repository to keep the scientific community up to date and describe overall trends. Recently, we published the first HT database focused on HT of transposable elements among eukaryotes: the Horizontal Transposon Transfer DataBase: Database URL: (http://lpa.saogabriel.unipampa.edu.br: 8080/httdatabase/). Here, we present new features and updates of this unique database: (i) its expansion to include virus-host exchange of genetic material, which we called Horizontal Virus Transfer (HVT) and (ii) the availability of a web server for HT detection, where we implemented the online version of vertical and horizontal inheritance consistence analysis (VHICA), an R package developed for HT detection. These improvements will help researchers to navigate through known HVT cases, take data-informed decision and export figures based on keywords searches. Moreover, the availability of the VHICA as an online tool will make this software easily reachable even for researchers with no or little computation knowledge as well as foster our capability to detect new HT events in a wide variety of taxa. Database URL: http://lpa.saogabriel.unipampa.edu.br:8080/httdatabase/
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Reis Dotto
- Campus São Gabriel, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Avenida Antonio Trilha, 1847, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul
| | - Evelise Leis Carvalho
- Pos Graduation in Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Avenida Antonio Trilha, 1847, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul
| | - Alexandre Freitas da Silva
- Pos Graduation in Biosciences and Health Biotechnology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, Recife, Pernambuco
| | - Filipe Zimmer Dezordi
- Campus São Gabriel, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Avenida Antonio Trilha, 1847, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul.,Pos Graduation in Biosciences and Health Biotechnology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, Recife, Pernambuco
| | - Paulo Marcos Pinto
- Campus São Gabriel, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Avenida Antonio Trilha, 1847, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul.,Pos Graduation in Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Avenida Antonio Trilha, 1847, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul
| | - Tulio de Lima Campos
- Bioinformatic Core, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, Recife, Pernambuco
| | - Antonio Mauro Rezende
- Department of Microbiology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, Recife, Pernambuco
| | - Gabriel da Luz Wallau
- Department of Entomology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, Recife, Pernambuco
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29
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Chen S, Saito N, Encabo JR, Yamada K, Choi IR, Kishima Y. Ancient Endogenous Pararetroviruses in Oryza Genomes Provide Insights into the Heterogeneity of Viral Gene Macroevolution. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:2686-2696. [PMID: 30239708 PMCID: PMC6179347 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous viral sequences in eukaryotic genomes, such as those derived from plant pararetroviruses (PRVs), can serve as genomic fossils to study viral macroevolution. Many aspects of viral evolutionary rates are heterogeneous, including substitution rate differences between genes. However, the evolutionary dynamics of this viral gene rate heterogeneity (GRH) have been rarely examined. Characterizing such GRH may help to elucidate viral adaptive evolution. In this study, based on robust phylogenetic analysis, we determined an ancient endogenous PRV group in Oryza genomes in the range of being 2.41-15.00 Myr old. We subsequently used this ancient endogenous PRV group and three younger groups to estimate the GRH of PRVs. Long-term substitution rates for the most conserved gene and a divergent gene were 2.69 × 10-8 to 8.07 × 10-8 and 4.72 × 10-8 to 1.42 × 10-7 substitutions/site/year, respectively. On the basis of a direct comparison, a long-term GRH of 1.83-fold was identified between these two genes, which is unexpectedly low and lower than the short-term GRH (>3.40-fold) of PRVs calculated using published data. The lower long-term GRH of PRVs was due to the slightly faster rate decay of divergent genes than of conserved genes during evolution. To the best of our knowledge, we quantified for the first time the long-term GRH of viral genes using paleovirological analyses, and proposed that the GRH of PRVs might be heterogeneous on time scales (time-dependent GRH). Our findings provide special insights into viral gene macroevolution and should encourage a more detailed examination of the viral GRH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunlu Chen
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nozomi Saito
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Jaymee R Encabo
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Rice Breeding Platform, International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
- Microbiology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Kanae Yamada
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Il-Ryong Choi
- Rice Breeding Platform, International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Yuji Kishima
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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30
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Xu X, Zhao H, Gong Z, Han GZ. Endogenous retroviruses of non-avian/mammalian vertebrates illuminate diversity and deep history of retroviruses. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007072. [PMID: 29902269 PMCID: PMC6001957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The deep history and early diversification of retroviruses remains elusive, largely because few retroviruses have been characterized in vertebrates other than mammals and birds. Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) documented past retroviral infections and thus provide ‘molecular fossils’ for studying the deep history of retroviruses. Here we perform a comprehensive phylogenomic analysis of ERVs within the genomes of 92 non-avian/mammalian vertebrates, including 72 fishes, 4 amphibians, and 16 reptiles. We find that ERVs are present in all the genomes of jawed vertebrates, revealing the ubiquitous presence of ERVs in jawed vertebrates. We identify a total of >8,000 ERVs and reconstruct ~450 complete or partial ERV genomes, which dramatically expands the phylogenetic diversity of retroviruses and suggests that the diversity of exogenous retroviruses might be much underestimated in non-avian/mammalian vertebrates. Phylogenetic analyses show that retroviruses cluster into five major groups with different host distributions, providing important insights into the classification and diversification of retroviruses. Moreover, we find retroviruses mainly underwent frequent host switches in non-avian/mammalian vertebrates, with exception of spumavirus-related viruses that codiverged with their ray-finned fish hosts. Interestingly, ray-finned fishes and turtles appear to serve as unappreciated hubs for the transmission of retroviruses. Finally, we find retroviruses underwent many independent water-land transmissions, indicating the water-land interface is not a strict barrier for retrovirus transmission. Our analyses provide unprecedented insights into and valuable resources for studying the diversification, key evolutionary transitions, and macroevolution of retroviruses. Retroviruses infect a wide range of vertebrates and cause many diseases, such as AIDS and cancers. To date, retroviruses have been rarely characterized in vertebrates other than mammals and birds, impeding our understanding of the diversity and early evolution of retroviruses. Retroviruses can occasionally integrate into host genomes and become endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), which provide molecular fossils for studying the long-term evolution of retroviruses. Here we performed comparative genomic and evolutionary analyses of ERVs within 92 non-avian/mammalian vertebrates (fishes, amphibians, and reptiles) and uncovered extraordinary diversity of retroviruses in non-avian/mammalian vertebrates. Our analyses reveal an ancient aquatic origin of retroviruses and retroviruses underwent frequent host-switching. Our findings have important implications in understanding the deep history and evolutionary mode of retroviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huayao Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhen Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guan-Zhu Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- * E-mail:
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31
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Abstract
The Filoviridae are a family of negative-strand RNA viruses that include several important human pathogens. Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus are well-known filoviruses which cause life-threatening viral hemorrhagic fever in human and nonhuman primates. In addition to severe pathogenesis, filoviruses also exhibit a propensity for human-to-human transmission by close contact, posing challenges to containment and crisis management. Past outbreaks, in particular the recent West African EBOV epidemic, have been responsible for thousands of deaths and vaulted the filoviruses into public consciousness. Both national and international health agencies continue to regard potential filovirus outbreaks as critical threats to global public health. To develop effective countermeasures, a basic understanding of filovirus biology is needed. This review encompasses the epidemiology, ecology, molecular biology, and evolution of the filoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Emanuel
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Andrea Marzi
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Heinz Feldmann
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, United States.
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32
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Presence of a Shared 5'-Leader Sequence in Ancestral Human and Mammalian Retroviruses and Its Transduction into Feline Leukemia Virus. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.00829-17. [PMID: 28768854 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00829-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombination events induce significant genetic changes, and this process can result in virus genetic diversity or in the generation of novel pathogenicity. We discovered a new recombinant feline leukemia virus (FeLV) gag gene harboring an unrelated insertion, termed the X region, which was derived from Felis catus endogenous gammaretrovirus 4 (FcERV-gamma4). The identified FcERV-gamma4 proviruses have lost their coding capabilities, but some can express their viral RNA in feline tissues. Although the X-region-carrying recombinant FeLVs appeared to be replication-defective viruses, they were detected in 6.4% of tested FeLV-infected cats. All isolated recombinant FeLV clones commonly incorporated a middle part of the FcERV-gamma4 5'-leader region as an X region. Surprisingly, a sequence corresponding to the portion contained in all X regions is also present in at least 13 endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) observed in the cat, human, primate, and pig genomes. We termed this shared genetic feature the commonly shared (CS) sequence. Despite our phylogenetic analysis indicating that all CS-sequence-carrying ERVs are classified as gammaretroviruses, no obvious closeness was revealed among these ERVs. However, the Shannon entropy in the CS sequence was lower than that in other parts of the provirus genome. Notably, the CS sequence of human endogenous retrovirus T had 73.8% similarity with that of FcERV-gamma4, and specific signals were detected in the human genome by Southern blot analysis using a probe for the FcERV-gamma4 CS sequence. Our results provide an interesting evolutionary history for CS-sequence circulation among several distinct ancestral viruses and a novel recombined virus over a prolonged period.IMPORTANCE Recombination among ERVs or modern viral genomes causes a rapid evolution of retroviruses, and this phenomenon can result in the serious situation of viral disease reemergence. We identified a novel recombinant FeLV gag gene that contains an unrelated sequence, termed the X region. This region originated from the 5' leader of FcERV-gamma4, a replication-incompetent feline ERV. Surprisingly, a sequence corresponding to the X region is also present in the 5' portion of other ERVs, including human endogenous retroviruses. Scattered copies of the ERVs carrying the unique genetic feature, here named the commonly shared (CS) sequence, were found in each host genome, suggesting that ancestral viruses may have captured and maintained the CS sequence. More recently, a novel recombinant FeLV hijacked the CS sequence from inactivated FcERV-gamma4 as the X region. Therefore, tracing the CS sequences can provide unique models for not only the modern reservoir of new recombinant viruses but also the genetic features shared among ancient retroviruses.
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33
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Lauber C, Seitz S, Mattei S, Suh A, Beck J, Herstein J, Börold J, Salzburger W, Kaderali L, Briggs JAG, Bartenschlager R. Deciphering the Origin and Evolution of Hepatitis B Viruses by Means of a Family of Non-enveloped Fish Viruses. Cell Host Microbe 2017; 22:387-399.e6. [PMID: 28867387 PMCID: PMC5604429 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B viruses (HBVs), which are enveloped viruses with reverse-transcribed DNA genomes, constitute the family Hepadnaviridae. An outstanding feature of HBVs is their streamlined genome organization with extensive gene overlap. Remarkably, the ∼1,100 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding the envelope proteins is fully nested within the ORF of the viral replicase P. Here, we report the discovery of a diversified family of fish viruses, designated nackednaviruses, which lack the envelope protein gene, but otherwise exhibit key characteristics of HBVs including genome replication via protein-primed reverse-transcription and utilization of structurally related capsids. Phylogenetic reconstruction indicates that these two virus families separated more than 400 million years ago before the rise of tetrapods. We show that HBVs are of ancient origin, descending from non-enveloped progenitors in fishes. Their envelope protein gene emerged de novo, leading to a major transition in viral lifestyle, followed by co-evolution with their hosts over geologic eras. Nackednaviruses are non-enveloped fish viruses related to hepadnaviruses Both virus families separated from a common ancestor >400 million years ago The envelope protein gene of hepadnaviruses emerged through two distinct processes Hepadnaviruses mainly co-evolve with hosts while nackednaviruses jump between hosts
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Lauber
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Seitz
- University of Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Simone Mattei
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Suh
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jürgen Beck
- Department of Internal Medicine 2/Molecular Biology, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jennifer Herstein
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jacob Börold
- University of Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Lars Kaderali
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Institute for Bioinformatics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
| | - John A G Briggs
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- University of Heidelberg, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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34
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Sinha A, Johnson WE. Retroviruses of the RDR superinfection interference group: ancient origins and broad host distribution of a promiscuous Env gene. Curr Opin Virol 2017; 25:105-112. [PMID: 28837888 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2017.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Due to recombination, different regions of a retrovirus genome can have distinct phylogenetic histories. The RD114-and-D-type-retrovirus (RDR) interference group provides an extreme example: the RDR group comprises a variety of taxonomically distinct retroviruses, isolated from diverse mammalian and avian hosts, that share a homologous env gene and use the same cell-surface entry receptor. RDR env homologs are also found among ancient endogenous retrovirus (ERV) sequences, including the syncytin genes of humans and rabbits, indicating that RDR Env glycoproteins have likely mediated endogenization on multiple occasions in diverse vertebrate lineages. The distribution of RDR env among exogenous and endogenous retroviruses indicates that it has been swapped between viruses many times, and that it likely facilitated multiple cross-species transmission events spanning millions of years of vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindita Sinha
- Biology Department, Boston College, 355 Higgins Hall, 140 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Welkin E Johnson
- Biology Department, Boston College, 355 Higgins Hall, 140 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
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35
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Abstract
Selfishness is pervasive and manifests at all scales of biology, from societies, to individuals, to genetic elements within a genome. The relentless struggle to seek evolutionary advantages drives perpetual cycles of adaptation and counter-adaptation, commonly referred to as Red Queen interactions. In this review, we explore insights gleaned from molecular and genetic studies of such genetic conflicts, both extrinsic (between genomes) and intrinsic (within genomes or cells). We argue that many different characteristics of selfish genetic elements can be distilled into two types of advantages: an over-replication advantage (e.g. mobile genetic elements in genomes) and a transmission distortion advantage (e.g. meiotic drivers in populations). These two general categories may help classify disparate types of selfish genetic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard N McLaughlin
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Harmit S Malik
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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36
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Abstract
Viruses must establish an intimate relationship with their hosts and vectors in order to infect, replicate, and disseminate; hence, viruses can be considered as symbionts with their hosts. Symbiotic relationships encompass different lifestyles, including antagonistic (or pathogenic, the most well-studied lifestyle for viruses), commensal (probably the most common lifestyle), and mutualistic (important beneficial partners). Symbiotic relationships can shape the evolution of the partners in a holobiont, and placing viruses in this context provides an important framework for understanding virus-host relationships and virus ecology. Although antagonistic relationships are thought to lead to coevolution, this is not always clear in virus-host interactions, and impacts on evolution may be complex. Commensalism implies a hitchhiking role for viruses-selfish elements just along for the ride. Mutualistic relationships have been described in detail in the past decade, and they reveal how important viruses are in considering host ecology. Ultimately, symbiosis can lead to symbiogenesis, or speciation through fusion, and the presence of large amounts of viral sequence in the genomes of everything from bacteria to humans, including some important functional genes, illustrates the significance of viral symbiogenesis in the evolution of all life on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn J Roossinck
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802;
| | - Edelio R Bazán
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802;
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Chen S, Zheng H, Kishima Y. Genomic fossils reveal adaptation of non-autonomous pararetroviruses driven by concerted evolution of noncoding regulatory sequences. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006413. [PMID: 28662199 PMCID: PMC5491270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The interplay of different virus species in a host cell after infection can affect the adaptation of each virus. Endogenous viral elements, such as endogenous pararetroviruses (PRVs), have arisen from vertical inheritance of viral sequences integrated into host germline genomes. As viral genomic fossils, these sequences can thus serve as valuable paleogenomic data to study the long-term evolutionary dynamics of virus-virus interactions, but they have rarely been applied for this purpose. All extant PRVs have been considered autonomous species in their parasitic life cycle in host cells. Here, we provide evidence for multiple non-autonomous PRV species with structural defects in viral activity that have frequently infected ancient grass hosts and adapted through interplay between viruses. Our paleogenomic analyses using endogenous PRVs in grass genomes revealed that these non-autonomous PRV species have participated in interplay with autonomous PRVs in a possible commensal partnership, or, alternatively, with one another in a possible mutualistic partnership. These partnerships, which have been established by the sharing of noncoding regulatory sequences (NRSs) in intergenic regions between two partner viruses, have been further maintained and altered by the sequence homogenization of NRSs between partners. Strikingly, we found that frequent region-specific recombination, rather than mutation selection, is the main causative mechanism of NRS homogenization. Our results, obtained from ancient DNA records of viruses, suggest that adaptation of PRVs has occurred by concerted evolution of NRSs between different virus species in the same host. Our findings further imply that evaluation of within-host NRS interactions within and between populations of viral pathogens may be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunlu Chen
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Huizhen Zheng
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuji Kishima
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Naville M, Volff JN. Endogenous Retroviruses in Fish Genomes: From Relics of Past Infections to Evolutionary Innovations? Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1197. [PMID: 27555838 PMCID: PMC4977317 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing availability of fish genome sequences has allowed to gain new insights into the diversity and host distribution of retroviruses in fish and other vertebrates. This distribution can be assessed through the identification and analysis of endogenous retroviruses, which are proviral remnants of past infections integrated in genomes. Retroviral sequences are probably important for evolution through their ability to induce rearrangements and to contribute regulatory and coding sequences; they may also protect their host against new infections. We argue that the current mass of genome sequences will soon strongly improve our understanding of retrovirus diversity and evolution in aquatic animals, with the identification of new/re-emerging elements and host resistance genes that restrict their infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Naville
- Génomique Évolutive des Poissons, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, Université Lyon 1 Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Nicolas Volff
- Génomique Évolutive des Poissons, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, Université Lyon 1 Lyon, France
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Nuclear factor Y regulates ancient budgerigar hepadnavirus core promoter activity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 478:825-30. [PMID: 27501758 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous viral elements (EVE) in animal genomes are the fossil records of ancient viruses and provide invaluable information on the origin and evolution of extant viruses. Extant hepadnaviruses include avihepadnaviruses of birds and orthohepadnaviruses of mammals. The core promoter (Cp) of hepadnaviruses is vital for viral gene expression and replication. We previously identified in the budgerigar genome two EVEs that contain the full-length genome of an ancient budgerigar hepadnavirus (eBHBV1 and eBHBV2). Here, we found eBHBV1 Cp and eBHBV2 Cp were active in several human and chicken cell lines. A region from nt -85 to -11 in eBHBV1 Cp was critical for the promoter activity. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a putative binding site of nuclear factor Y (NF-Y), a ubiquitous transcription factor, at nt -64 to -50 in eBHBV1 Cp. The NF-Y core binding site (ATTGG, nt -58 to -54) was essential for eBHBV1 Cp activity. The same results were obtained with eBHBV2 Cp and duck hepatitis B virus Cp. The subunit A of NF-Y (NF-YA) was recruited via the NF-Y core binding site to eBHBV1 Cp and upregulated the promoter activity. Finally, the NF-Y core binding site is conserved in the Cps of all the extant avihepadnaviruses but not of orthohepadnaviruses. Interestingly, a putative and functionally important NF-Y core binding site is located at nt -21 to -17 in the Cp of human hepatitis B virus. In conclusion, our findings have pinpointed an evolutionary conserved and functionally critical NF-Y binding element in the Cps of avihepadnaviruses.
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Abstract
Recent discoveries indicate that the foamy virus (FV) (Spumavirus) ancestor may have been among the first retroviruses to appear during the evolution of vertebrates, demonstrated by foamy endogenous retroviruses present within deeply divergent hosts including mammals, coelacanth, and ray-finned fish. If they indeed existed in ancient marine environments hundreds of millions of years ago, significant undiscovered diversity of foamy-like endogenous retroviruses might be present in fish genomes. By screening published genomes and by applying PCR-based assays of preserved tissues, we discovered 23 novel foamy-like elements in teleost hosts. These viruses form a robust, reciprocally monophyletic sister clade with sarcopterygian host FV, with class III mammal endogenous retroviruses being the sister group to both clades. Some of these foamy-like retroviruses have larger genomes than any known retrovirus, exogenous or endogenous, due to unusually long gag-like genes and numerous accessory genes. The presence of genetic features conserved between mammalian FV and these novel retroviruses attests to a foamy-like replication biology conserved for hundreds of millions of years. We estimate that some of these viruses integrated recently into host genomes; exogenous forms of these viruses may still circulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Ruboyianes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1041 E Lowell St., Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Michael Worobey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1041 E Lowell St., Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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Duroy PO, Perrier X, Laboureau N, Jacquemoud-Collet JP, Iskra-Caruana ML. How endogenous plant pararetroviruses shed light on Musa evolution. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 117:625-41. [PMID: 26971286 PMCID: PMC4817503 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcw011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Banana genomes harbour numerous copies of viral sequences derived from banana streak viruses (BSVs) - dsDNA viruses belonging to the family Caulimoviridae.These viral integrants (eBSVs) are mostly defective, probably as a result of 'pseudogenization' driven by host genome evolution. However, some can give rise to infection by releasing a functional viral genome following abiotic stresses. These distinct infective eBSVs correspond to the three main widespread BSV species (BSOLV, BSGFV and BSIMV), fully described within the Musa balbisiana B genomes of the seedy diploid 'Pisang Klutuk Wulung' (PKW). METHODS We characterize eBSV distribution among a Musa sampling including seedy BB diploids and interspecific hybrids with Musa acuminate exhibiting different levels of ploidy for the B genome (ABB, AAB, AB). We used representative samples of the two areas of sympatry between M. acuminate and M. balbisiana species representing the native area of the most widely cultivated AAB cultivars (in India and in East Asia, ranging from the Philippines to New Guinea). Seventy-seven accessions were characterized using eBSV-related PCR markers and Southern hybridization approaches. We coded both sets of results to create a common dissimilarity matrix with which to interpret eBSV distribution. KEY RESULTS We propose a Musa phylogeny driven by the M. balbisiana genome based on a dendrogram resulting from a joint neighbour-joining analysis of the three BSV species, showing for the first time lineages between BB and ABB/AAB hybrids. eBSVs appear to be relevant phylogenetic markers that can illustrate theM. balbisiana phylogeography story. CONCLUSION The theoretical implications of this study for further elucidation of the historical and geographical process of Musa domestication are numerous. Discovery of banana plants with B genome non-infective for eBSV opens the way to the introduction of new genitors in programmes of genetic banana improvement.
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Santiago-Rodriguez TM, Fornaciari G, Luciani S, Dowd SE, Toranzos GA, Marota I, Cano RJ. Natural mummification of the human gut preserves bacteriophage DNA. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2015; 363:fnv219. [PMID: 26564967 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnv219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The natural mummification process of the human gut represents a unique opportunity to study the resulting microbial community structure and composition. While results are providing insights into the preservation of bacteria, fungi, pathogenic eukaryotes and eukaryotic viruses, no studies have demonstrated that the process of natural mummification also results in the preservation of bacteriophage DNA. We characterized the gut microbiome of three pre-Columbian Andean mummies, namely FI3, FI9 and FI12, and found sequences homologous to viruses. From the sequences attributable to viruses, 50.4% (mummy FI3), 1.0% (mummy FI9) and 84.4% (mummy FI12) were homologous to bacteriophages. Sequences corresponding to the Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, Podoviridae and Microviridae families were identified. Predicted putative bacterial hosts corresponded mainly to the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and included Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Escherichia, Vibrio, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Yersinia. Predicted functional categories associated with bacteriophages showed a representation of structural, replication, integration and entry and lysis genes. The present study suggests that the natural mummification of the human gut results in the preservation of bacteriophage DNA, representing an opportunity to elucidate the ancient phageome and to hypothesize possible mechanisms of preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez
- Center for Applications in Biotechnology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA Department of Biology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Gino Fornaciari
- Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy Center for Anthropological, Paleopathological and Historical Studies of the Sardinian and Mediterranean Populations, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari 07100, Italy
| | - Stefania Luciani
- Laboratory of Molecular Archaeo-Anthropology/ancient DNA, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
| | - Scot E Dowd
- Molecular Research LP (MR DNA), Shallowater, TX 79363, USA
| | - Gary A Toranzos
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00932, Puerto Rico
| | - Isolina Marota
- Laboratory of Molecular Archaeo-Anthropology/ancient DNA, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino 62032, Italy
| | - Raul J Cano
- Center for Applications in Biotechnology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA Department of Biology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
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Gilbert C, Meik JM, Dashevsky D, Card DC, Castoe TA, Schaack S. Endogenous hepadnaviruses, bornaviruses and circoviruses in snakes. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:20141122. [PMID: 25080342 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the discovery of endogenous viral elements (EVEs) from Hepadnaviridae, Bornaviridae and Circoviridae in the speckled rattlesnake, Crotalus mitchellii, the first viperid snake for which a draft whole genome sequence assembly is available. Analysis of the draft assembly reveals genome fragments from the three virus families were inserted into the genome of this snake over the past 50 Myr. Cross-species PCR screening of orthologous loci and computational scanning of the python and king cobra genomes reveals that circoviruses integrated most recently (within the last approx. 10 Myr), whereas bornaviruses and hepadnaviruses integrated at least approximately 13 and approximately 50 Ma, respectively. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of circo-, borna- and hepadnaviruses in snakes and the first characterization of non-retroviral EVEs in non-avian reptiles. Our study provides a window into the historical dynamics of viruses in these host lineages and shows that their evolution involved multiple host-switches between mammals and reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gilbert
- Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Equipe Ecologie Evolution Symbiose, Poitiers, France
| | - J M Meik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, USA
| | - D Dashevsky
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
| | - D C Card
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - T A Castoe
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - S Schaack
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa, International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya Centre for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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Virophages go nuclear in the marine alga Bigelowiella natans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:11750-1. [PMID: 26330604 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1515142112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Hurst TP, Magiorkinis G. Activation of the innate immune response by endogenous retroviruses. J Gen Virol 2015; 96:1207-1218. [PMID: 26068187 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome comprises 8 % endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), the majority of which are defective due to deleterious mutations. Nonetheless, transcripts of ERVs are found in most tissues, and these transcripts could either be reverse transcribed to generate ssDNA or expressed to generate proteins. Thus, the expression of ERVs could produce nucleic acids or proteins with viral signatures, much like the pathogen-associated molecular patterns of exogenous viruses, which would enable them to be detected by the innate immune system. The activation of some pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in response to ERVs has been described in mice and in the context of human autoimmune diseases. Here, we review the evidence for detection of ERVs by PRRs and the resultant activation of innate immune signalling. This is an emerging area of research within the field of innate antiviral immunity, showing how ERVs could initiate immune signalling pathways and might have implications for numerous inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara P Hurst
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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McCarthy KR, Kirmaier A, Autissier P, Johnson WE. Evolutionary and Functional Analysis of Old World Primate TRIM5 Reveals the Ancient Emergence of Primate Lentiviruses and Convergent Evolution Targeting a Conserved Capsid Interface. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005085. [PMID: 26291613 PMCID: PMC4546234 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The widespread distribution of lentiviruses among African primates, and the lack of severe pathogenesis in many of these natural reservoirs, are taken as evidence for long-term co-evolution between the simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) and their primate hosts. Evidence for positive selection acting on antiviral restriction factors is consistent with virus-host interactions spanning millions of years of primate evolution. However, many restriction mechanisms are not virus-specific, and selection cannot be unambiguously attributed to any one type of virus. We hypothesized that the restriction factor TRIM5, because of its unique specificity for retrovirus capsids, should accumulate adaptive changes in a virus-specific fashion, and therefore, that phylogenetic reconstruction of TRIM5 evolution in African primates should reveal selection by lentiviruses closely related to modern SIVs. We analyzed complete TRIM5 coding sequences of 22 Old World primates and identified a tightly-spaced cluster of branch-specific adaptions appearing in the Cercopithecinae lineage after divergence from the Colobinae around 16 million years ago. Functional assays of both extant TRIM5 orthologs and reconstructed ancestral TRIM5 proteins revealed that this cluster of adaptations in TRIM5 specifically resulted in the ability to restrict Cercopithecine lentiviruses, but had no effect (positive or negative) on restriction of other retroviruses, including lentiviruses of non-Cercopithecine primates. The correlation between lineage-specific adaptations and ability to restrict viruses endemic to the same hosts supports the hypothesis that lentiviruses closely related to modern SIVs were present in Africa and infecting the ancestors of Cercopithecine primates as far back as 16 million years ago, and provides insight into the evolution of TRIM5 specificity. Old World primates in Africa are reservoir hosts for more than 40 species of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs), including the sources of the human immunodeficiency viruses, HIV-1 and HIV-2. To investigate the prehistoric origins of these lentiviruses, we looked for patterns of evolution in the antiviral host gene TRIM5 that would reflect selection by lentiviruses during evolution of African primates. We identified a pattern of adaptive changes unique to the TRIM5 proteins of a subset of African monkeys that suggests that the ancestors of these viruses emerged between 11–16 million years ago, and by reconstructing and comparing the function of ancestral TRIM5 proteins with extant TRIM5 proteins, we confirmed that these adaptations confer specificity for their modern descendants, the SIVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R. McCarthy
- Harvard Program in Virology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andrea Kirmaier
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Patrick Autissier
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Welkin E. Johnson
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Rozenberg A, Brand P, Rivera N, Leese F, Schubart CD. Characterization of fossilized relatives of the White Spot Syndrome Virus in genomes of decapod crustaceans. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:142. [PMID: 26187050 PMCID: PMC4506587 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0380-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is an important pathogen that infects a variety of decapod species and causes a highly contagious disease in penaeid shrimps. Mass mortalities caused by WSSV have pronounced commercial impact on shrimp aquaculture. Until now WSSV is the only known member of the virus family Nimaviridae, a group with obscure phylogenetic affinities. Its isolated position makes WSSV studies challenging due to large number of genes without homology in other viruses or cellular organisms. Results Here we report the discovery of an unusually large amount of sequences with high similarity to WSSV in a genomic library from the Jamaican bromeliad crab Metopaulias depressus. De novo assembly of these sequences allowed for the partial reconstruction of the genome of this endogenized virus with total length of 200 kbp encompassed in three scaffolds. The genome includes at least 68 putative open reading frames with homology in WSSV, most of which are intact. Among these, twelve orthologs of WSSV genes coding for non-structural proteins and nine genes known to code for the major components of the WSSV virion were discovered. Together with reanalysis of two similar cases of WSSV-like sequences in penaeid shrimp genomic libraries, our data allowed comparison of gene composition and gene order between different lineages related to WSSV. Furthermore, screening of published sequence databases revealed sequences with highest similarity to WSSV and the newly described virus in genomic libraries of at least three further decapod species. Analysis of the viral sequences detected in decapods suggests that they are less a result of contemporary WSSV infection, but rather originate from ancestral infection events. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that genes were acquired repeatedly by divergent viruses or viral strains of the Nimaviridae. Conclusions Our results shed new light on the evolution of the Nimaviridae and point to a long association of this viral group with decapod crustaceans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0380-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Rozenberg
- Ruhr University Bochum, Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Philipp Brand
- Ruhr University Bochum, Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Bochum, Germany. .,University of California, Davis, Department of Evolution and Ecology, Center for Population Biology, Davis, USA.
| | - Nicole Rivera
- University of Regensburg, Department of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Florian Leese
- Ruhr University Bochum, Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Christoph D Schubart
- University of Regensburg, Department of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Regensburg, Germany.
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Kondo H, Chiba S, Suzuki N. Detection and analysis of non-retroviral RNA virus-like elements in plant, fungal, and insect genomes. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1236:73-88. [PMID: 25287497 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1743-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Endogenous non-retroviral RNA like sequences (NRVSs) have been discovered in the genome of a wide range of eukaryotes. These are considered as fossil RNA viral elements integrated into host genomes by as-yet-known mechanisms, and in many cases, those fossils are estimated to be millions-of-years-old. It is likely that the number of NRVS records will increase rapidly due to the growing availability of whole-genome sequences for many kinds of eukaryotes. Discovery of the novel NRVSs and understanding of their phylogenetic relationship with modern viral relatives provide important information on deep evolutionary history of RNA virus-host interactions. In this chapter, therefore, the common strategies for the identification and characterization of endogenous NRVSs from plants, insects, and fungi are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Kondo
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources (IPSR), Okayama University, Chuo 2-20-1, Kurashiki, 710-0046, Japan,
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Suh A, Weber CC, Kehlmaier C, Braun EL, Green RE, Fritz U, Ray DA, Ellegren H. Early mesozoic coexistence of amniotes and hepadnaviridae. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004559. [PMID: 25501991 PMCID: PMC4263362 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepadnaviridae are double-stranded DNA viruses that infect some species of birds and mammals. This includes humans, where hepatitis B viruses (HBVs) are prevalent pathogens in considerable parts of the global population. Recently, endogenized sequences of HBVs (eHBVs) have been discovered in bird genomes where they constitute direct evidence for the coexistence of these viruses and their hosts from the late Mesozoic until present. Nevertheless, virtually nothing is known about the ancient host range of this virus family in other animals. Here we report the first eHBVs from crocodilian, snake, and turtle genomes, including a turtle eHBV that endogenized >207 million years ago. This genomic “fossil” is >125 million years older than the oldest avian eHBV and provides the first direct evidence that Hepadnaviridae already existed during the Early Mesozoic. This implies that the Mesozoic fossil record of HBV infection spans three of the five major groups of land vertebrates, namely birds, crocodilians, and turtles. We show that the deep phylogenetic relationships of HBVs are largely congruent with the deep phylogeny of their amniote hosts, which suggests an ancient amniote–HBV coexistence and codivergence, at least since the Early Mesozoic. Notably, the organization of overlapping genes as well as the structure of elements involved in viral replication has remained highly conserved among HBVs along that time span, except for the presence of the X gene. We provide multiple lines of evidence that the tumor-promoting X protein of mammalian HBVs lacks a homolog in all other hepadnaviruses and propose a novel scenario for the emergence of X via segmental duplication and overprinting of pre-existing reading frames in the ancestor of mammalian HBVs. Our study reveals an unforeseen host range of prehistoric HBVs and provides novel insights into the genome evolution of hepadnaviruses throughout their long-lasting association with amniote hosts. Viruses are not known to leave physical fossil traces, which makes our understanding of their evolutionary prehistory crucially dependent on the detection of endogenous viruses. Ancient endogenous viruses, also known as paleoviruses, are relics of viral genomes or fragments thereof that once infiltrated their host's germline and then remained as molecular “fossils” within the host genome. The massive genome sequencing of recent years has unearthed vast numbers of paleoviruses from various animal genomes, including the first endogenous hepatitis B viruses (eHBVs) in bird genomes. We screened genomes of land vertebrates (amniotes) for the presence of paleoviruses and identified ancient eHBVs in the recently sequenced genomes of crocodilians, snakes, and turtles. We report an eHBV that is >207 million years old, making it the oldest endogenous virus currently known. Furthermore, our results provide direct evidence that the Hepadnaviridae virus family infected birds, crocodilians and turtles during the Mesozoic Era, and suggest a long-lasting coexistence of these viruses and their amniote hosts at least since the Early Mesozoic. We challenge previous views on the origin of the oncogenic X gene and provide an evolutionary explanation as to why only mammalian hepatitis B infection leads to hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Suh
- Department of Evolutionary Biology (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Claudia C. Weber
- Department of Evolutionary Biology (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christian Kehlmaier
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Dresden, Germany
| | - Edward L. Braun
- Department of Biology and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Richard E. Green
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Uwe Fritz
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Dresden, Germany
| | - David A. Ray
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Hans Ellegren
- Department of Evolutionary Biology (EBC), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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