Virus tracking technologies and their applications in viral life cycle: research advances and future perspectives

Lung cancer: Animal model of lung cancer, molecular carcinogenesis of lung cancer, and antitumor effect of Ocimum sanctum against lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of fatalities related to cancer globally. There are numerous ways to treat lung cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Since these treatments have not yet shown satisfactory results, more research into the underlying mechanisms and different approaches to therapy and prevention are needed. Animal models are essential to the study of lung cancer because they offer priceless information about the etiology, course, and possible treatments for the illness. The therapeutic application of phytochemicals and medicinal plants to treat cancer-related compounds has gained attention subsequently. In addition to discussing the molecular carcinogenic and antitumor effects of the herbal treatment Ocimum sanctum (OS) in connection to lung cancer, this review will address the current awareness regarding lung cancer in animal models. The multitude of animal models used in lung cancer research-such as genetically modified mice, carcinogen-induced models, and xenograft induction-provides a solid foundation for understanding the illness. By easing the examination of the environmental and genetic factors involved and enhancing the analysis of possibilities for treatment, these models eventually assist in the further development of lung cancer therapy. Additionally, using the herb plant OS is essential for both treating and preventing lung cancer. Standardizing dosages and enforcing laws on the use of herbal medications require more in-depth investigation.

Nanoscopic acoustic vibrational dynamics of a single virus captured by ultrafast spectroscopy

The natural vibrational frequencies of biological particles such as viruses and bacteria encode critical information about their mechanical and biological states as they interact with their local environment and undergo structural evolution. However, detecting and tracking these vibrations within a biological context at the single particle level has remained elusive. In this study, we track the vibrational motions of single, unlabeled virus particles under ambient conditions using ultrafast spectroscopy. The ultrasonic spectrum of an 80 to 100 nm lentiviral pseudovirus reveals vibrational modes in the 19 to 21 GHz range sensitive to virus morphology and 2 to 10 GHz modes with nanosecond dephasing times reflecting viral envelope protein interactions. By tracking virus trajectories over minutes, we observe acoustic mode coupling mediated by the local environment. Single particle tracking allows the capture of viral disassembly through correlated mode softening and dephasing. The sensitivity, high resolution, and speed of this approach promise deeper insights into biological dynamics and early-stage diagnostics at the single microorganism level.

Visualizing the Internalization of Marburg Viruslike Particles into Living Cells

Viral entry into cells is a pivotal stage of the infection process and, therefore, a prime target for the development of antiviral therapeutics. Here, we describe a system to monitor the internalization of lipophilic dye-labeled Marburg viruslike particles (VLPs) into living cells. Using cells stably expressing fluorescent protein-fused markers for specific cell organelles, the VLP entry process can be visualized. This procedure enables the characterization of the entry process by visualizing individual steps using specific bio-probes. Additionally, when combined with image analysis, this method allows for the quantification of the efficiencies of individual entry steps including particle adsorption, uptake by endocytosis, and membrane fusion. Finally, this method can be used for antiviral drug screening.

A reporter Oropouche virus expressing ZsGreen from the M segment enables pathogenesis studies in mice

Oropouche fever caused by Oropouche virus (OROV) is a significant zoonosis in Central and South America. Despite its public health significance, we lack high-throughput diagnostics, therapeutics, and a comprehensive knowledge of OROV biology. Reporter viruses are valuable tools to rapidly study virus dynamics and develop neutralization and antiviral screening assays. OROV is a tri-segmented bunyavirus, which makes generating a reporter virus challenging, as introducing foreign elements into the viral genome typically affects fitness. We previously demonstrated that the non-structural gene NSm on the OROV medium (M) segment is non-essential for replication in vitro. Taking advantage of this, we have now generated a recombinant OROV expressing fluorescent protein ZsGreen in place of NSm. This reporter OROV is both stable and pathogenic in IFNAR-/- mice and provides a powerful tool for OROV pathogenesis studies and assay development.IMPORTANCEEmerging and reemerging infectious agents such as zoonotic bunyaviruses are of global health concern. Oropouche virus (OROV) causes recurring outbreaks of acute febrile illness in the Central and South American human populations. Biting midges are the primary transmission vectors, whereas sloths and non-human primates are their reservoir hosts. As global temperatures increase, we will likely see an expansion in arthropod-borne pathogens such as OROV. Therefore, developing reagents to study pathogen biology to aid in identifying druggable targets is essential. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility and use of a fluorescent OROV reporter in mice to study viral dynamics and pathogenesis. We show that this reporter OROV maintains characteristics such as growth and pathogenicity similar to the wild-type virus. Using this reporter virus, we can now develop methods to assist OROV studies and establish various high-throughput assays.

Development of Stable Infectious cDNA Clones of Tomato Black Ring Virus Tagged with Green Fluorescent Protein

Tomato black ring virus (TBRV) is a member of the Nepovirus genus in the Secoviridae family, which infects a wide range of important crop species worldwide. In this work, we constructed four cDNA infectious clones of the TBRV tagged with the green fluorescent protein (TBRV-GFP), which varied in (i) the length of the sequences flanking the GFP insert, (ii) the position of the GFP insert within the RNA2 polyprotein, and (iii) the addition of a self-cutting 2A protein. The presence of the GFP coding sequence in infected plants was verified by RT-PCR, while the infectivity and stability of the constructs were verified by mechanical inoculation of the host plants. The systemic spread of TBRV-GFP within plants was observed under UV light at a macroscopic level, monitoring GFP-derived fluorescence in leaves, and at a microscopic level using confocal microscopy. The obtained clones are a valuable tool for future studies of TBRV-host interactions, virus biology, and the long-term monitoring of its distribution in infected plants.