Simplified, rapid method for cloning of virus-binding polypeptides (putative receptors) via the far-western screening of a cDNA expression library using purified virus particles

Expression of a viral polymerase-bound host factor turns human cell lines permissive to a plant- and insect-infecting virus

Tospoviruses are the only plant-infecting members of the Bunyaviridae family of ambisense ssRNA viruses. Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus (TSWV), the type-member, also causes mild infection on its main insect vector, Frankliniella occidentalis. Herein, we identified an F. occidentalis putative transcription factor (FoTF) that binds to the TSWV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and to viral RNA. Using in vitro RNA synthesis assays, we show that addition of purified FoTF improves viral replication, but not transcription. Expression of FoTF deletion mutants, unable to bind the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase or viral RNA, blocks TSWV replication in F. occidentalis cells. Finally, expression of FoTF wild-type turns human cell lines permissive to TSWV replication. These data indicate that FoTF is a host factor required for TSWV replication in vitro and in vivo, provide an experimental system that could be used to compare molecular defense mechanisms in plant, insect, and human cells against the same pathogen (TSWV), and could lead to a better understanding of evolutionary processes of ambisense RNA viruses.

Tospovirus-thrips interactions

The complex and specific interplay between thrips, tospoviruses, and their shared plant hosts leads to outbreaks of crop disease epidemics of economic and social importance. The precise details of the processes underpinning the vector-virus-host interaction and their coordinated evolution increase our understanding of the general principles underlying pathogen transmission by insects, which in turn can be exploited to develop sustainable strategies for controlling the spread of the virus through plant populations. In this review, we focus primarily on recent progress toward understanding the biological processes and molecular interactions involved in the acquisition and transmission of Tospoviruses by their thrips vectors.

Study on construction of cDNA libraries from rat normal liver and regeneration liver with smart technique

The aim of the study is to construct cDNA libraries from the normal liver and regeneration liver of rat by SMART (switching mechanism at 5' end of RNA transcript) technique and analyze their quality. The total RNA was separated from the normal liver and regeneration liver of rat and the frist-strand cDNA was synthesized through reverse transcription by a modified oligo (dT) primer (contained sfi IB site) while the SMART oligonucleotide (contained sfi IA site) was utilized as a template so that the first-strand cDNA could be extended over the 5' end of mRNA. The double-strand cDNA was amplified by LD-PCR (long-distance PCR) with the above two primers and then digested by sfi I (IA & IB) restriction, enzyme. After cDNA size fractionation through Chroma Spin 400 column, the double-strand cDNA was ligated into the sfi I-digested lambda TripIEx2 vector and then the recombinant DNA was packagedin vitro. The unamplified rat normal liver cDNA library consists of 1.3×10(7) pfu/ml, and regeneration liver cDNA library consists of 1.6×10(7) pfu/ml in which the percentage of recombinant clones both are about 100%. Through testing, the high quality cDNA libraries containing full-length cDNA of rat normal liver and regeneration liver have been constructed. The titer of the amplified cDNA library is 4.5×10(10) pfu/ml and 3.6×10(10) pfu/ml. the average exogenous inserts of the recombinants both are about 1.5 kb. These results show that the normal liver and regeneration liver of rat cDNA libraries both have an excellent quality and lay solid foundation to study liver functions and the mechanism of liver regeneration.

Study on construction of cDNA library of the treated changliver cell and quality analysis

The study aims to construct cDNA library of Changliver cell by SMART (switching mechanism at 5' end of RNA transcript) technique and analyze its quality. cDNA of Changliver cell was made with RT-PCR and LD-PCR (long-distance PCR), the cDNA library was constructed with SMART cDNA library construction kit. Through testing, the high quality cDNA library containing whole long cDNA of Changliver cell had been constructed. The titer of the amplified cDNA library was 4.5 × 10(10) pfu/ml and the average exogenous inserts of the recombinants is 1.5 kb. These results showed that the Changliver cell cDNA library had an excellent quality and lay foundation for screening whole long cDNA of related genes.

The plant virus Tomato Spotted Wilt Tospovirus activates the immune system of its main insect vector, Frankliniella occidentalis

Tospoviruses have the ability to infect plants and their insect vectors. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), the type species in the Tospovirus genus, infects its most important insect vector, Frankliniella occidentalis, the western flower thrips (WFT). However, no detrimental effects on the life cycle or cytopathological changes have been reported in the WFT after TSWV infection, and relatively few viral particles can be observed even several days after infection. We hypothesized that TSWV infection triggers an immune response in the WFT. Using subtractive cDNA libraries to probe WFT DNA macroarrays, we found that the WFT's immune system is activated by TSWV infection. The activated genes included (i) those encoding antimicrobial peptides, such as defensin and cecropin; (ii) genes involved in pathogen recognition, such as those encoding lectins; (iii) those encoding receptors that activate the innate immune response, such as Toll-3; and (iv) those encoding members of signal transduction pathways activated by Toll-like receptors, such as JNK kinase. Transcriptional upregulation of these genes after TSWV infection was confirmed by Northern analysis, and the kinetics of the immune response was measured over time. Several of the detected genes were activated at the same time that viral replication was first detected by reverse transcription-PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the activation of an insect vector immune response by a plant virus. The results may lead to a better understanding of insects' immune responses against viruses and may help in the future development of novel control strategies against plant viruses, as well as human and animal viruses transmitted by insect vectors.

Characterization of a truncated soluble form of the baculovirus (AcMNPV) major envelope protein Gp64

A truncated tagged form of the Autographica californica multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus major surface glycoprotein, gp64, has been expressed using the baculovirus expression system and purified to homogeneity by immune-affinity chromatography. The protein, which is responsible for virus-cell fusion, was a trimer in solution and retained this oligomeric form at pH 5, the pH of fusion. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated a protein with mixed alpha-helix and beta-sheet content that did not undergo significant change at pH 5. The soluble protein showed no detectable binding to the insect cell surface. These data suggest a novel fusion mechanism for gp64 compared to models such as the influenza HA. In a crystal screen, deglycosylated, but not glycosylated, preparations of the protein were found to form small needle-shaped crystals that may form the basis of a dedicated structural study.