Search results for "viruses"

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the major capsid proteins VP16 and VP17 of bacteriophage P23-77.

2012

The major capsid proteins VP16 and VP17 of bacteriophage P23-77 have been crystallized using both recombinant and purified virus and preliminary diffraction analyses have been performed.

Sphingomyelin induces structural alteration in canine parvovirus capsid

2008

One of the essential steps in canine parvovirus (CPV) infection, the release from endosomal vesicles, is dominated by interactions between the virus capsid and the endosomal membranes. In this study, the effect of sphingomyelin and phosphatidyl serine on canine parvovirus capsid and on the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity of CPV VP1 unique N-terminus was analyzed. Accordingly, a significant (P ≤ 0.05) shift of tryptophan fluorescence emission peak was detected at pH 5.5 in the presence of sphingomyelin, whereas at pH 7.4 a similar but minor shift was observed. This effect may relate to the exposure of VP1 N-terminus in acidic pH as well as to interactions between sphingomyelin and CPV. When…

The Putative Metal Coordination Motif in the Endonuclease Domain of Human Parvovirus B19 NS1 Is Critical for NS1 Induced S Phase Arrest and DNA Damage

2012

The non-structural proteins (NS) of the parvovirus family are highly conserved multi-functional molecules that have been extensively characterized and shown to be integral to viral replication. Along with NTP-dependent helicase activity, these proteins carry within their sequences domains that allow them to bind DNA and act as nucleases in order to resolve the concatameric intermediates developed during viral replication. The parvovirus B19 NS1 protein contains sequence domains highly similar to those previously implicated in the above-described functions of NS proteins from adeno-associated virus (AAV), minute virus of mice (MVM) and other non-human parvoviruses. Previous studies have show…

TLR7 controls VSV replication in CD169(+) SCS macrophages and associated viral neuroinvasion

2019

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is an insect-transmitted rhabdovirus that is neurovirulent in mice. Upon peripheral VSV infection, CD169+ subcapsular sinus (SCS) macrophages capture VSV in the lymph, support viral replication, and prevent CNS neuroinvasion. To date, the precise mechanisms controlling VSV infection in SCS macrophages remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that Toll-like receptor-7 (TLR7), the main sensing receptor for VSV, is central in controlling lymph-borne VSV infection. Following VSV skin infection, TLR7−/− mice display significantly less VSV titers in the draining lymph nodes (dLN) and viral replication is attenuated in SCS macrophages. In contrast to effects o…

Immunological Markers for PML Prediction in MS Patients Treated with Natalizumab

2015

International audience; Natalizumab (NTZ), a monoclonal antibody recognizing the alpha4 integrin chain, has been approved for the treatment of active multiple sclerosis, but expose to the onset of a rare side effect, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Estimating the individual risk of PML in NTZ-treated patients is a major challenge, and therapeutic strategies are mainly guided by the overall PML risk assessed by identified risk factors: JC virus (JCV) seropositivity, treatment duration (with peak incidence after 24 months), and the previous use of immunosuppressive therapies. Given that this stratification does not yet allow a precise individual prediction of PML, other pred…

Further spread of West Nile virus in Italy.

2010

Following two consecutive years of West Nile virus (WNV) circulation in Italy, new foci of infection were observed in August 2010 in Sicily and Molise in southern and central Italy, respectively. These incidents were far from the previous infected area in northern Italy, thereby confirming the ability of WNV to spread to new areas and affect new host populations. © Istituto G. Caporale 2010.

Viruses are ancient parasites that have influenced the evolution of contemporary and archaic forms of life

2010

Data from: Virus epidemics can lead to a population-wide spread of intragenomic parasites in a previously parasite-free asexual population

2014

In a recent issue of Molecular Ecology the role of intragenomic parasites in maintaining sexual reproduction was both experimentally evaluated by Kraaijeveld et al. and discussed by Crespi and Schwander. The prevalence of sex is difficult to explain, due to its costs when compared with asexual reproduction. Yet, as reviewed by Crespi and Schwander, sex can be favorable in the presence of proliferating transposons. Transposons are similar to mutations, in that their integration to non-neutral loci is likely to have deleterious effects, and sexual recombination provides a potential mechanism to confine their accumulation.

Norovirus infections and seroprevalence of genotype gii.4-specific antibodies in a spanish population

2015

Genotype II.4 noroviruses (NoVs) are a leading cause of epidemic acute gastroenteritis in children and adults worldwide. The prevalence of different NoV genotypes causing outbreaks and sporadic cases of acute gastroenteritis in the region of Valencia, Spain, during a 4-year period (2008–11) was investigated. NoVs were detected in 42 out of 55 (76.3%) outbreaks and in 26 out of 332 (7.8%) sporadic cases of acute gastroenteritis. Genogroup GII strains were predominant in outbreaks and sporadic cases. Different genotype GII.4 variants were found (Yerseke_2006a, Den Haag_2006b, Apeldoorn_2007, and New Orleans_2009), with the latter variant detected most frequently (35.3%). A recombinant P domai…

Macrolides May Prevent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Entry into Cells: A Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship Study and Exp…

2021

The global pandemic caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is threatening the health and economic systems worldwide. Despite the enormous efforts of scientists and clinicians around the world, there is still no drug or vaccine available worldwide for the treatment and prevention of the infection. A rapid strategy for the identification of new treatments is based on repurposing existing clinically approved drugs that show antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, after developing a quantitative structure activity relationship analysis based on molecular topology, several macrolide antibiotics are identified as promising SARS-…