Search results for "Hantavirus Infection"
showing 3 items of 13 documents
Chimaeric HBV core particles carrying a defined segment of Puumala hantavirus nucleocapsid protein evoke protective immunity in an animal model
1998
Abstract Hantaviruses are rodent-born agents which are pathogenic in humans causing haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. To induce a protective immunity against a European hantavirus (Puumala) we constructed chimaeric hepatitis B virus (HBV) core particles carrying defined fragments of the Puumala virus nucleocapsid protein. After immunisation of bank voles, the natural host of Puumala virus, with core particles possessing an insertion of the N-terminal part of Puumala virus nucleocapsid protein, four of five animals were protected against subsequent virus challenge. The results show that the major protective region of the nucleocapsid protein is located …
An amino-terminal segment of hantavirus nucleocapsid protein presented on hepatitis B virus core particles induces a strong and highly cross-reactive…
2004
AbstractPreviously, we have demonstrated that hepatitis B virus (HBV) core particles tolerate the insertion of the amino-terminal 120 amino acids (aa) of the Puumala hantavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein. Here, we demonstrate that the insertion of 120 amino-terminal aa of N proteins from highly virulent Dobrava and Hantaan hantaviruses allows the formation of chimeric core particles. These particles expose the inserted foreign protein segments, at least in part, on their surface. Analysis by electron cryomicroscopy of chimeric particles harbouring the Puumala virus (PUUV) N segment revealed 90% T = 3 and 10% T = 4 shells. A map computed from T = 3 shells shows additional density splaying out …
Quasispecies dynamics and fixation of a synonymous mutation in hantavirus transmission.
2008
RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, the key enzymes in replication of RNA viruses, have a low fidelity; thus, these viruses replicate as a swarm of mutants termed viral quasispecies. Constant generation of new mutations allows RNA viruses to adapt swiftly to a novel environment through selection of both pre-existing and de novo-generated genetic variants. Here, quasispecies dynamics were studied in vivo in controlled hantavirus transmission from experimentally infected to naïve rodents through infested cage bedding. An elementary step of virus microevolution was apparent, as one synonymous mutation (A759G) repeatedly became fixed in the viral RNA quasispecies populations in the recipient animals.