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Jeong GJ, Khan F, Tabassum N, Kim YM. Chitinases as key virulence factors in microbial pathogens: Understanding their role and potential as therapeutic targets. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 249:126021. [PMID: 37506799 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Chitinases are crucial for the survival of bacterial and fungal pathogens both during host infection and outside the host in the environment. Chitinases facilitate adhesion onto host cells, act as virulence factors during infection, and provide protection from the host immune system, making them crucial factors in the survival of microbial pathogens. Understanding the mechanisms behind chitinase action is beneficial to design novel therapeutics to control microbial infections. This review explores the role of chitinases in the pathogenesis of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. The mechanisms underlying the action of chitinases of bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens in host cells are thoroughly reviewed. The evolutionary relationships between chitinases of various bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens are discussed to determine their involvement in processes, such as adhesion and host immune system modulation. Gaining a better understanding of the distribution and activity of chitinases in these microbial pathogens can help elucidate their role in the invasion and infection of host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
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Shen ZJ, Liu YJ, Cheng J, Li Z, Michaud JP, Liu XX. High temperature exposure reduces the susceptibility of Helicoverpa armigera to its nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) by enhancing expression of heat shock proteins. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:2378-2389. [PMID: 35289068 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High temperatures will occur more frequently with global warming, with potential impacts on the efficacy of biological control agents. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are induced by high temperature, but their possible roles in pest resistance to entomopathogens remain unexplored. We investigated the effects of high temperature (35 °C) on Helicoverpa armigera resistance to H. armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) and the putative roles of HSPs in this process. RESULTS Even short periods (24 h) of high temperature (35 °C) reduced mortality in HearNPV-infected H. armigera larvae. Sustained 35 °C exposure significantly shortened developmental time, and increased fresh weight and locomotor activity in infected larvae. Moreover, high temperature inhibited virus replication and thickened the epidermis of H. armigera, resulting in reduced spread of infection from cadavers. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed that expression of 11 HSP genes was altered by the 35 °C treatment, and that mostly small heat shock protein (sHSP) genes were up-regulated, the same sHSPs were induced when larvae were infected with HearNPV. Finally, RNA interference (RNAi) suppression of these sHSPs showed that only Hsp24.91 and Hsp21.8 diminished H. armigera defensive responses to HearNPV infection. CONCLUSION Even short periods of exposure to high temperature can significantly reduce susceptibility of H. armigera larvae to HearNPV by stimulating the production of sHSPs which enhance immune responses, with important implications for the use of entomopathogens as biological control agents under global warming scenarios. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Jian Shen
- Department of Entomology, MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Jun Liu
- Department of Entomology, MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- Department of Entomology, MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Entomology, MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - J P Michaud
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Agricultural Research Center-Hays, Hays, KS, USA
| | - Xiao-Xia Liu
- Department of Entomology, MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Williams T, López-Ferber M, Caballero P. Nucleopolyhedrovirus Coocclusion Technology: A New Concept in the Development of Biological Insecticides. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:810026. [PMID: 35145496 PMCID: PMC8822060 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.810026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPV, Baculoviridae) that infect lepidopteran pests have an established record as safe and effective biological insecticides. Here, we describe a new approach for the development of NPV-based insecticides. This technology takes advantage of the unique way in which these viruses are transmitted as collective infectious units, and the genotypic diversity present in natural virus populations. A ten-step procedure is described involving genotypic variant selection, mixing, coinfection and intraspecific coocclusion of variants within viral occlusion bodies. Using two examples, we demonstrate how this approach can be used to produce highly pathogenic virus preparations for pest control. As restricted host range limits the uptake of NPV-based insecticides, this technology has recently been adapted to produce custom-designed interspecific mixtures of viruses that can be applied to control complexes of lepidopteran pests on particular crops, as long as a shared host species is available for virus production. This approach to the development of NPV-based insecticides has the potential to be applied across a broad range of NPV-pest pathosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miguel López-Ferber
- Hydrosciences Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, IMT Mines Alès, IRD, CNRS, Alès, France
| | - Primitivo Caballero
- Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Bioinsectis SL, Noain, Spain
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Hodgson JJ, Krell PJ, Passarelli AL. Mature viral cathepsin is required for release of viral occlusion bodies from Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus-infected cells. Virology 2021; 556:23-32. [PMID: 33540271 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Baculovirus-infected larvae release progeny viral occlusion bodies (OBs) to enable cyclical virus transmission to new hosts. The alphabaculovirus chitinase and cathepsin enzymes cause terminal liquefaction of host insect cadavers, aiding OB dispersal. The mechanism of cell lysis required to release the OBs is unclear but here we show Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus cathepsin protease activity is required for efficient release of the host tissue-degrading chitinase and cathepsin enzymes and critical for release of progeny OBs from virus-infected cells. Comparisons between viruses containing or lacking cathepsin indicate that cathepsin was necessary for OB release into cultured cell media or hemolymph of insects. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of cysteine protease activity in cells during infection blocked maturation of active cathepsin and OB release from infected cells. Together, these results suggest an important link between baculovirus-induced cell lysis, the concomitant maturation of cathepsin, and cellular release of chitinase, cathepsin and progeny OBs from cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Hodgson
- Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Peter J Krell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Xu W, Fan Y, Wang H, Feng M, Wu X. Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus F-like protein Bm14 affects the morphogenesis and production of occlusion bodies and the embedding of ODVs. Virology 2019; 526:61-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Ardisson-Araújo DMP, da Silva AMR, Melo FL, Dos Santos ER, Sosa-Gómez DR, Ribeiro BM. A Novel Betabaculovirus Isolated from the Monocot Pest Mocis latipes (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the Evolution of Multiple-Copy Genes. Viruses 2018; 10:v10030134. [PMID: 29547534 PMCID: PMC5869527 DOI: 10.3390/v10030134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In this report, we described the genome of a novel baculovirus isolated from the monocot insect pest Mocis latipes, the striped grass looper. The genome has 134,272 bp in length with a G + C content of 38.3%. Based on the concatenated sequence of the 38 baculovirus core genes, we found that the virus is a betabaculovirus closely related to the noctuid-infecting betabaculoviruses including Pseudaletia unipuncta granulovirus (PsunGV), Trichoplusia ni granulovirus (TnGV), Helicoverpa armigera granulovirus (HearGV), and Xestia c-nigrum granulovirus (XecnGV). The virus may constitute a new Betabaculovirus species tentatively named Mocis latipes granulovirus (MolaGV). After gene content analysis, five open reading frames (ORFs) were found to be unique to MolaGV and several auxiliary genes were found including iap-3, iap-5, bro-a, bro-b, and three enhancins. The virus genome lacked both chitinase and cathepsin. We then looked at the evolutionary history of the enhancin gene and found that betabaculovirus acquired this gene from an alphabaculovirus followed by several duplication events. Gene duplication also happened to an endonuclease-like gene. Genomic and gene content analyses revealed both a strict collinearity and gene expansion into the genome of the MolaGV-related species. We also characterized the granulin gene using a recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) and found that occlusion bodies were produced into the nucleus of infected cells and presented a polyhedral shape and no occluded virions within. Overall, betabaculovirus genome sequencing is of importance to the field as few genomes are publicly accessible. Mocislatipes is a secondary pest of maize, rice, and wheat crops in Brazil. Certainly, both the discovery and description of novel baculoviruses may lead to development of greener and safer pesticides in order to counteract and effectively control crop damage-causing insect populations
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M P Ardisson-Araújo
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria RS 97105-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Fernando L Melo
- Laboratory of Baculovirus, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasilia, Brasília DF 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Ethiane Rozo Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria RS 97105-900, Brazil.
| | - Daniel R Sosa-Gómez
- Embrapa-Soja, Distrito de Warta P.O. Box 231, Londrina PR 86001-970, Brazil.
| | - Bergmann M Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Baculovirus, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasilia, Brasília DF 70910-900, Brazil.
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Castro MEB, Melo FL, Tagliari M, Inglis PW, Craveiro SR, Ribeiro ZMA, Ribeiro BM, Báo SN. The genome sequence of Condylorrhiza vestigialis NPV, a novel baculovirus for the control of the Alamo moth on Populus spp. in Brazil. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 148:152-161. [PMID: 28669710 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Condylorrhiza vestigialis (Lepidoptera: Cambridae), commonly known as the Brazilian poplar moth or Alamo moth, is a serious defoliating pest of poplar, a crop of great economic importance for the production of wood, fiber, biofuel and other biomaterials as well as its significant ecological and environmental value. The complete genome sequence of a new alphabaculovirus isolated from C. vestigialis was determined and analyzed. Condylorrhiza vestigialis nucleopolyhedrovirus (CoveNPV) has a circular double-stranded DNA genome of 125,767bp with a GC content of 42.9%. One hundred and thirty-eight putative open reading frames were identified and annotated in the CoveNPV genome, including 38 core genes and 9 bros. Four homologous regions (hrs), a feature common to most baculoviruses, and 19 perfect and imperfect direct repeats (drs) were found. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that CoveNPV is a Group I Alphabaculovirus and is most closely related to Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) and Choristoneura fumiferana DEF multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus CfDEFMNPV. The gp37 gene was not detected in the CoveNPV genome, although this gene is found in many NPVs. Two other common NPV genes, chitinase (v-chiA) and cathepsin (v-cath), that are responsible for host insect liquefaction and melanization, were also absent, where phylogenetic analysis suggests that the loss these genes occurred in the common ancestor of AgMNPV, CfDEFMNPV and CoveNPV, with subsequent reacquisition of these genes by CfDEFMNPV. The molecular biology and genetics of CoveNPV was formerly very little known and our expectation is that the findings presented here should accelerate research on this baculovirus, which will facilitate the use of CoveNPV in integrated pest management programs in Poplar crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernando L Melo
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Marina Tagliari
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Peter W Inglis
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Saluana R Craveiro
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Bergmann M Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Sônia N Báo
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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Yang R, Zhang J, Feng M, Wu X. Identification of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus bm58a as an auxiliary gene and its requirement for cell lysis and larval liquefaction. J Gen Virol 2016; 97:3039-3050. [DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Jianjia Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Min Feng
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
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Field efficacy and transmission of fast- and slow-killing nucleopolyhedroviruses that are infectious to Adoxophyes honmai (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Viruses 2015; 7:1271-83. [PMID: 25793940 PMCID: PMC4379570 DOI: 10.3390/v7031271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The smaller tea tortrix, Adoxophyes honmai (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an economically important pest of tea in Japan. Previous work showed that a fast-killing nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) isolated from A. orana (AdorNPV) and a slow-killing NPV isolated from A. honmai (AdhoNPV) are both infectious to A. honmai larvae. Field application of these different NPVs was conducted against an A. honmai larval population in tea plants, and the control efficacy and transmission rate of the two NPVs were compared. The slow-killing AdhoNPV showed lower field efficacy, in terms of preventing damage caused by A. honmai larvae against the tea plants, than the fast-killing AdorNPV. However, AdhoNPV had a significantly higher horizontal transmission rate than AdorNPV. These results show that AdorNPV is suitable as an inundative agent, while AdhoNPV is an appropriate inoculative agent.
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Ishimwe E, Hodgson JJ, Clem RJ, Passarelli AL. Reaching the melting point: Degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors involved in baculovirus infection and dissemination. Virology 2015; 479-480:637-49. [PMID: 25724418 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2015.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Baculovirus infection of a host insect involves several steps, beginning with initiation of virus infection in the midgut, followed by dissemination of infection from the midgut to other tissues in the insect, and finally culminating in "melting" or liquefaction of the host, which allows for horizontal spread of infection to other insects. While all of the viral gene products are involved in ultimately reaching this dramatic infection endpoint, this review focuses on two particular types of baculovirus-encoded proteins: degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors. Neither of these types of proteins is commonly found in other virus families, but they both play important roles in baculovirus infection. The types of degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors encoded by baculoviruses are discussed, as are the roles of these proteins in the infection process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egide Ishimwe
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 116 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901, United States
| | - Jeffrey J Hodgson
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 116 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901, United States
| | - Rollie J Clem
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 116 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901, United States.
| | - A Lorena Passarelli
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 116 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901, United States.
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Ardisson-Araújo DMP, de Melo FL, Andrade MDS, Sihler W, Báo SN, Ribeiro BM, de Souza ML. Genome sequence of Erinnyis ello granulovirus (ErelGV), a natural cassava hornworm pesticide and the first sequenced sphingid-infecting betabaculovirus. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:856. [PMID: 25280947 PMCID: PMC4192325 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is the basic source for dietary energy of 500 million people in the world. In Brazil, Erinnyis ello ello (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) is a major pest of cassava crops and a bottleneck for its production. In the 1980s, a naturally occurring baculovirus was isolated from E. ello larva and successfully applied as a bio-pesticide in the field. Here, we described the structure, the complete genome sequence, and the phylogenetic relationships of the first sphingid-infecting betabaculovirus. Results The baculovirus isolated from the cassava hornworm cadavers is a betabaculovirus designated Erinnyis ello granulovirus (ErelGV). The 102,759 bp long genome has a G + C content of 38.7%. We found 130 putative ORFs coding for polypeptides of at least 50 amino acid residues. Only eight genes were found to be unique. ErelGV is closely related to ChocGV and PiraGV isolates. We did not find typical homologous regions and cathepsin and chitinase homologous genes are lacked. The presence of he65 and p43 homologous genes suggests horizontal gene transfer from Alphabaculovirus. Moreover, we found a nucleotide metabolism-related gene and two genes that could be acquired probably from Densovirus. Conclusions The ErelGV represents a new virus species from the genus Betabaculovirus and is the closest relative of ChocGV. It contains a dUTPase-like, a he65-like, p43-like genes, which are also found in several other alpha- and betabaculovirus genomes, and two Densovirus-related genes. Importantly, recombination events between insect viruses from unrelated families and genera might drive baculovirus genomic evolution. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-856) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Bergmann Morais Ribeiro
- Cell Biology Department, Laboratory of Baculovirus, University of Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Hamblin S, Tanaka MM. Behavioural manipulation of insect hosts by Baculoviridae as a process of niche construction. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:170. [PMID: 23953199 PMCID: PMC3751707 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Niche construction has received increasing attention in recent years as a vital force in evolution and examples of niche construction have been identified in a wide variety of taxa, but viruses are conspicuously absent. In this study we explore how niche construction can lead to viruses engineering their hosts (including behavioural manipulation) with feedback on selective pressures for viral transmission and virulence. To illustrate this concept we focus on Baculoviridae, a family of invertebrate viruses that have evolved to modify the feeding behaviour of their lepidopteran hosts and liquefy their cadavers as part of the course of infection. RESULTS We present a mathematical model showing how niche construction leads to feedback from the behavioural manipulation to the liquefaction of the host, linking the evolution of both of these traits, and show how this association arises from the action of niche construction. Model results show that niche construction is plausible in this system and delineates the conditions under which niche construction will occur. Niche construction in this system is also shown to be sensitive to parameter values that reflect ecological forces. CONCLUSIONS Our model demonstrates that niche construction can be a potent force in viral evolution and can lead to the acquisition and maintenance of the behavioural manipulation and liquefaction traits in Baculoviridae via the niche constructing effects on the host. These results show the potential for niche construction theory to provide new insights into viral evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Hamblin
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
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