Search

Biting midge-borne bluetongue virus (BTV), an Orbivirus of the Sedoreoviridae family, can cause epizootic disease in domestic and wild ruminants (2). Bluetongue (BT) is a World Organisation for Animal Health-listed [...]

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV; species Mammarenavirus choriomeningitidis) is a single-stranded RNA virus that has a bisegmented genome and ambisense coding strategy (1). LCMV is a zoonotic virus that causes encephalitis, [...]

Members of the poxvirus subfamily Chordopoxvirinae (family Poxviridae) infect vertebrates, such as birds, reptiles, and a broad spectrum of mammals. Although some chordopoxviruses have a narrow host range, several can [...]

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis mammarenavirus (LCMV) is an enveloped virus with a bisegmented genome of single-stranded, ambisense RNA (1). The small (S) segment of [approximately equal to] 3,400 nt encodes structural components, [...]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019. Researchers have identified close relatives to SARS-CoV-2 in bats (1) and pangolins (order Pholidota) [...]

Rotaviruses are a major cause of diarrhea in young children, causing an estimated 215,000 deaths worldwide every year (1). These viruses are nonenveloped and have a genome consisting of 11 [...]

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most pathogenic viral diseases of swine leading to clinical and pathomorphological signs of a viral hemorrhagic fever (1). In 2007, ASF was [...]

The saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica tatarica and S.t. mongolica) is a critically endangered species (1) with populations located in Kazakhstan in addition to small remnants in Russia and Uzbekistan and [...]

In 2016 in Scotland, and in 2017 in Wales, progressive neurologic signs were observed in young lambs. These cases were associated with nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis predominantly involving gray matter, including neuronal [...]

During 2014-2015, after massive outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on the Korean Peninsula, subtype H5N8 viruses (group A clade 2.3.4.4) caused outbreaks among wild birds and domestic poultry [...]

The family Bornaviridae comprises the classical mammalian bornaviruses (Mammalian 1 bornavirus with borna disease virus; BoDV-1 and -2); avian bornaviruses (Passeriform 1/2 bornavirus, Psittaciform 1/2 bornavirus, Waterbird 1 bornavirus); and [...]

Reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of subtype H5N8 were introduced into South Korea in early 2014, possibly by virus-infected wild birds. The virus, which was spread widely by [...]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is an acute and highly contagious enteric disease of swine that results in severe enteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration (1). Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), the [...]

In summer and autumn 2011, farmers and veterinarians in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and in the Netherlands reported to the animal health services, local diagnostic laboratories, and national research institutes an [...]

The two-component system SaeRS consisting of the histidin kinase SaeS and the response regulator SaeR is known to act on virulence gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus. In order to get a more comprehensive picture on SaeR-regulated genes, we studied the contribution of the two-component system on global gene expression by using both the proteomic and transcriptomic approach. Altogether, a loss of SaeRS resulted in a decreased amount of at least 17 extracellular proteins and two cell surface-associated proteins, among them several important virulence factors such as HlgA, HlgB, HlgC, LukF, and LukM. SaeRS activates the expression of these genes at the transcriptional level. The amount of the five proteins Aur, SspA, SsaA, Plc, and GlpQ was negatively influenced by SaeRS. However, the transcription of the corresponding genes was not affected by the two-component system. SaeRS had also no measurable influence on the transcription of the regulatory genes agr, sarA, arlRS, and sigB that contribute to the regulation of SaeRS-dependent virulence factors identified in this investigation. Our results clearly show that SaeRS is strongly involved in the tight temporal control of virulence factor expression in S. aureus. Its precise role within the regulatory network remains to be determined.

The [[sigma].sup.B] dependent general stress regulon of Bacillus subtilis comprises more than 150 members. Induction of this regulon by imposition of environmental or metabolic stress confers multiple, nonspecific, and preemptive stress resistance to nongrowing, nonsporulated cells of B. subtigs. In this study we performed a regulonwide phenotypic screening analysis to determine the stress sensitivity profiles of 94 mutants defective in candidate members of the general stress regulon that were previously identified in our transcriptional profiling study of the general stress response of B. subtilis. The phenotypic screening analysis included analysis of adaptation to a growth-inhibiting concentration of ethanol (10%, vol/vol) or NaCl (10%, wt/vol), severe heat shock (54[degrees]C), and low temperature (survival at 4[degrees]C and growth at 12.5[degrees]C). Surprisingly, 85% of the mutants tested displayed increased sensitivity at an [alpha] confidence level of [less than or equal to] 0.01 to at least one of the four stresses tested, and 62% still exhibited increased sensitivity at an [alpha] of [less than or equal to] 0.001. In essence, we were able to assign 63 genes (28 genes with an [alpha] of [less than or equal to] 0.001) to survival after ethanol shock, 37 genes (28 genes with an [alpha] of [less than or equal to] 0.001) to protection from NaCl shock, 34 genes (24 genes with an [alpha] of [less than or equal to] 0.001) to survival at 4[degrees]C, and 10 genes (3 genes with an [alpha] of [less than or equal to] 0.001) to management of severe heat shock. Interestingly, there was a substantial overlap between the genes necessary for survival during ethanol shock and the genes necessary for survival at 4[degrees]C, and there was also an overlap between genes required for survival during ethanol shock and genes required for survival during NaCl shock. Our data provide evidence for the importance of the [[sigma].sub.B] regulon at low temperatures, not only for growth but also for survival. Moreover, the data imply that a secondary oxidative stress seems to be a common component of the severe stresses tested.

To the Editor: Ngari virus (NRIV) is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Bunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus. The genome comprises 3 segments, the small (S), medium (M), and large [...]

Research concerning oligonucleotide hybridization and promoter-based search for sigma (super)B targets to detect new members of stress regulation in Bacillus subtilis is presented. The authors use genome sequence for new genes dependent on sigma (super)B promoters.

Schmallenberg virus (SBV), an orthobunyavirus of the Simbu serogroup, recently emerged in Europe and has been suggested to be a Shamonda/Sathuperi virus reassortant. Results of full-genome and serologic investigations indicate [...]

To the Editor: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) can cause severe enteritis in pigs accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. Clinical signs are most prominent [...]

The glycoproteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase are the major determinants of host range and tissue tropism of the influenza virus. HA is the most abundant protein in the virus particle membrane and represents the basis of most influenza vaccines. It has been reported that influenza virus HA /V-glycosylation markedly depends on the host cell line used for virus production. However, little is known about how differential glycosylation affects immunogenicity of the viral proteins. This is of importance for virus propagation in chicken eggs as well as for innovative influenza vaccine production in mammalian cell lines. In this study, we investigated the impact of the differential A'-glycosylation patterns of two influenza A virus PR/8/34 (H1N1) variants on immu-nogenicity. Madin-Darby canine kidney cell-derived and Vero cell-derived glycovariants were analyzed for immunogenicity in a TCR-HA transgenic mouse model. Next-generation pyrosequencing validated the congruence of the potential HA A'-glycosylation sites as well as the presence of the HA peptide recognized by the TCR-HA transgenic T cells. We show that differential HA N-glycosylation markedly affected T cell activation and cytokine production in vitro and moderately influenced IL-2 production in vivo. Cocultivation assays indicated that the difference in immunogenicity was mediated by CDllc+ dendritic cells. Native virus degly-cosylation by endo- and exoglycosidases dramatically reduced cytokine production by splenocytes in vitro and markedly decreased HA-specific Ab production in vivo. In conclusion, this study indicates a crucial importance of HA A'-glycosylation for immunoge-nicity. Our findings have implications for cell line-based influenza vaccine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]