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Rossini E, Bazzucchi M, Trocchi V, Merzoni F, Bertasio C, Knauf S, Lavazza A, Cavadini P. Identification and Characterisation of a Myxoma Virus Detected in the Italian Hare ( Lepus corsicanus). Viruses 2024; 16:437. [PMID: 38543802 PMCID: PMC10975712 DOI: 10.3390/v16030437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Myxoma virus (MYXV) is a Leporipoxvirus (genus) belonging to the family Poxviridae; it is characterised by a genome of approximately 161 kb dsDNA encoding for several proteins that play an essential role in both host spectrum determination and immunomodulation. The healthy reservoir of the virus is Sylvilagus spp. At the same time, in wild and domestic European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), MYXV is the etiologic agent of myxomatosis, a disease with an extremely high mortality rate. In 2014, an interspecies jump of MYXV was reported in Lepus europaeus in the UK. In 2018, myxomatosis induced by a new recombinant strain called MYXV-To was identified during a large outbreak in Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in Spain. Here, we describe the case of myxomatosis in another hare species: an adult male Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus) found dead in 2018 in Sicily with lesions suggestive of myxomatosis and treponema infection. Laboratory tests, e.g., end-point PCR and negative staining electron microscopy, confirmed the presence of both pathogens. MYXV was then isolated from tissue samples in permissive cells and sequenced using NGS technology. Main genomic differences concerning known MYXV strains are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Rossini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLER), Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (E.R.); (F.M.); (C.B.); (A.L.); (P.C.)
- WOAH Reference Laboratories for Myxomatosis and for RHD, Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Moira Bazzucchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLER), Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (E.R.); (F.M.); (C.B.); (A.L.); (P.C.)
- WOAH Reference Laboratories for Myxomatosis and for RHD, Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Valter Trocchi
- Federazione Italiana della Caccia (FIDC), Via Garigliano 57, 00198 Roma, Italy;
| | - Francesca Merzoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLER), Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (E.R.); (F.M.); (C.B.); (A.L.); (P.C.)
- WOAH Reference Laboratories for Myxomatosis and for RHD, Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Cristina Bertasio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLER), Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (E.R.); (F.M.); (C.B.); (A.L.); (P.C.)
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, Friedrich Loeffler Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany;
- Professorship for One Health/International Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLER), Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (E.R.); (F.M.); (C.B.); (A.L.); (P.C.)
- WOAH Reference Laboratories for Myxomatosis and for RHD, Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Patrizia Cavadini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini” (IZSLER), Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (E.R.); (F.M.); (C.B.); (A.L.); (P.C.)
- WOAH Reference Laboratories for Myxomatosis and for RHD, Via Antonio Bianchi, 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
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Adegboye O, Alele F, Pak A, Alakunle E, Emeto T, Leggat P, Okeke M. Monkeypox Outbreak 2022, from a Rare Disease to Global Health Emergence: Implications for Travellers. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1451:355-368. [PMID: 38801590 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-57165-7_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Monkeypox (mpox), a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), poses a significant public health threat with the potential for global dissemination beyond its endemic regions in Central and West Africa. This study explores the multifaceted aspects of monkeypox, covering its epidemiology, genomics, travel-related spread, mass gathering implications, and economic consequences. Epidemiologically, mpox exhibits distinct patterns, with variations in age and gender susceptibility. Severe cases can arise in immunocompromised individuals, underscoring the importance of understanding the factors contributing to its transmission. Genomic analysis of MPXV highlights its evolutionary relationship with the variola virus and vaccinia virus. Different MPXV clades exhibit varying levels of virulence and transmission potential, with Clade I associated with higher mortality rates. Moreover, the role of recombination in MPXV evolution remains a subject of interest, with implications for understanding its genetic diversity. Travel and mass gatherings play a pivotal role in the spread of monkeypox. The ease of international travel and increasing globalization have led to outbreaks beyond African borders. The economic ramifications of mpox outbreaks extend beyond public health. Direct treatment costs, productivity losses, and resource-intensive control efforts can strain healthcare systems and economies. While vaccination and mitigation strategies have proven effective, the cost-effectiveness of routine vaccination in non-endemic countries remains a subject of debate. This study emphasizes the role of travel, mass gatherings, and genomics in its spread and underscores the economic impacts on affected regions. Enhancing surveillance, vaccination strategies, and public health measures are essential in controlling this emerging infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyelola Adegboye
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, 0811, Australia.
- Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
- World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Vector-Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
| | - Faith Alele
- Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Anton Pak
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - Emmanuel Alakunle
- Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, American University of Nigeria, Yola, 640001, Nigeria
| | - Theophilus Emeto
- Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Vector-Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Peter Leggat
- Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Vector-Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Malachy Okeke
- Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, American University of Nigeria, Yola, 640001, Nigeria
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Brennan G, Stoian AMM, Yu H, Rahman MJ, Banerjee S, Stroup JN, Park C, Tazi L, Rothenburg S. Molecular Mechanisms of Poxvirus Evolution. mBio 2023; 14:e0152622. [PMID: 36515529 PMCID: PMC9973261 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01526-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Poxviruses are often thought to evolve relatively slowly because they are double-stranded DNA pathogens with proofreading polymerases. However, poxviruses have highly adaptable genomes and can undergo relatively rapid genotypic and phenotypic change, as illustrated by the recent increase in human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus. Advances in deep sequencing technologies have demonstrated standing nucleotide variation in poxvirus populations, which has been underappreciated. There is also an emerging understanding of the role genomic architectural changes play in shaping poxvirus evolution. These mechanisms include homologous and nonhomologous recombination, gene duplications, gene loss, and the acquisition of new genes through horizontal gene transfer. In this review, we discuss these evolutionary mechanisms and their potential roles for adaption to novel host species and modulating virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Brennan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Ana M. M. Stoian
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Huibin Yu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - M. Julhasur Rahman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Shefali Banerjee
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jeannine N. Stroup
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Chorong Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Loubna Tazi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Stefan Rothenburg
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Fernandes AO, Barros GS, Batista MVA. Metatranscriptomics Analysis Reveals Diverse Viral RNA in Cutaneous Papillomatous Lesions of Cattle. Evol Bioinform Online 2022; 18:11769343221083960. [PMID: 35633934 PMCID: PMC9133864 DOI: 10.1177/11769343221083960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) is associated with bovine papillomatosis, a disease that forms benign warts in epithelial tissues, as well as malignant lesions. Previous studies have detected a co-infection between BPV and other viruses, making it likely that these co-infections could influence disease progression. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and annotate viral genes in cutaneous papillomatous lesions of cattle. Sequences were obtained from the GEO database, and an RNA-seq computational pipeline was used to analyze 3 libraries from bovine papillomatous lesions. In total, 25 viral families were identified, including Poxviridae, Retroviridae, and Herpesviridae. All libraries shared similarities in the viruses and genes found. The viral genes shared similarities with BPV genes, especially for functions as virion entry pathway, malignant progression by apoptosis suppression and immune system control. Therefore, this study presents relevant data extending the current knowledge regarding the viral microbiome in BPV lesions and how other viruses could affect this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana O Fernandes
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Gerlane S Barros
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Marcus VA Batista
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
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Abade dos Santos FA, Carvalho CL, Parra F, Dalton KP, Peleteiro MC, Duarte MD. A Quadruplex qPCR for Detection and Differentiation of Classic and Natural Recombinant Myxoma Virus Strains of Leporids. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222112052. [PMID: 34769480 PMCID: PMC8584577 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222112052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A natural recombinant myxoma virus (referred to as ha-MYXV or MYXV-Tol08/18) emerged in the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in late 2018 and mid-2020, respectively. This new virus is genetically distinct from classic myxoma virus (MYXV) strains that caused myxomatosis in rabbits until then, by acquiring an additional 2.8 Kbp insert within the m009L gene that disrupted it into ORFs m009L-a and m009L-b. To distinguish ha-MYXV from classic MYXV strains, we developed a robust qPCR multiplex technique that combines the amplification of the m000.5L/R duplicated gene, conserved in all myxoma virus strains including ha-MYXV, with the amplification of two other genes targeted by the real-time PCR systems designed during this study, specific either for classic MYXV or ha-MYXV strains. The first system targets the boundaries between ORFs m009L-a and m009L-b, only contiguous in classic strains, while the second amplifies a fragment within gene m060L, only present in recombinant MYXV strains. All amplification reactions were validated and normalized by a fourth PCR system directed to a housekeeping gene (18S rRNA) conserved in eukaryotic organisms, including hares and rabbits. The multiplex PCR (mPCR) technique described here was optimized for Taqman® and Evagreen® systems allowing the detection of as few as nine copies of viral DNA in the sample with an efficiency > 93%. This real-time multiplex is the first fast method available for the differential diagnosis between classic and recombinant MYXV strains, also allowing the detection of co-infections. The system proves to be an essential and effective tool for monitoring the geographical spread of ha-MYXV in the hare and wild rabbit populations, supporting the management of both species in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio A. Abade dos Santos
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.C.P.); (M.D.D.)
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV, I.P.), Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; (F.P.); (K.P.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-21-440-3500
| | - Carina L. Carvalho
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV, I.P.), Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
| | - Francisco Parra
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; (F.P.); (K.P.D.)
| | - Kevin P. Dalton
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias (IUBA), Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; (F.P.); (K.P.D.)
| | - Maria C. Peleteiro
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.C.P.); (M.D.D.)
| | - Margarida D. Duarte
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.C.P.); (M.D.D.)
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV, I.P.), Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
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Species-Specific Host-Virus Interactions: Implications for Viral Host Range and Virulence. Trends Microbiol 2019; 28:46-56. [PMID: 31597598 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A growing number of studies indicate that host species-specific and virus strain-specific interactions of viral molecules with the host innate immune system play a pivotal role in determining virus host range and virulence. Because interacting proteins are likely constrained in their evolution, mutations that are selected to improve virus replication in one species may, by chance, alter the ability of a viral antagonist to inhibit immune responses in hosts the virus has not yet encountered. Based on recent findings of host-species interactions of poxvirus, herpesvirus, and influenza virus proteins, we propose a model for viral fitness and host range which considers the full interactome between a specific host species and a virus, resulting from the combination of all interactions, positive and negative, that influence whether a virus can productively infect a cell and cause disease in different hosts.
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Dalton KP, Martín JM, Nicieza I, Podadera A, de Llano D, Casais R, Gimenez S, Badiola I, Agüero M, Duran M, Buitrago D, Romero LJ, García E, Parra F. Myxoma virus jumps species to the Iberian hare. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 66:2218-2226. [PMID: 31322320 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The study of myxoma virus (MYXV) infections in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has produced one of the most accepted host-pathogen evolutionary models. To date, myxomatosis has been limited to the European rabbit with sporadic reports in hares. However, reports of widespread mortalities in the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) with myxomatosis-like clinical signs indicate a potential species jump has occurred. The presence of MYXV DNA was confirmed by PCR in 244 samples received from regional veterinary services, animal health laboratories, hunters or rangers over a 5-month period. PCR analysis of 4 MYXV positive hare samples revealed a 2.8 kb insertion located within the M009 gene with respect to MYXV. The presence of this insertion was subsequently confirmed in 20 samples from 18 Spanish provinces. Sanger sequencing and subsequent analysis show that the insert contained 4 ORFs which are phylogenetically related to MYXV genes M060, M061, M064 and M065. The complete MYXV genome from hare tissue was sequenced using Ion torrent next-generation technology and a summary of the data presented here. With the exception of the inserted region, the virus genome had no large scale modifications and 110 mutations with respect to the MYXV reference strain Lausanne were observed. The next phase in the evolution of MYXV has taken place as a host species jump from the European rabbit to the Iberian hare an occurrence which could have important effects on this naïve population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P Dalton
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - José M Martín
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Inés Nicieza
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ana Podadera
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Daniel de Llano
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Rosa Casais
- SERIDA, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario, Centro de Biotecnología Animal, Gijón, Spain
| | - Salvador Gimenez
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ignacio Badiola
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Manuel Duran
- Laboratorio Central Veterinario-Sanidad Animal Ctra, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolores Buitrago
- Laboratorio Central Veterinario-Sanidad Animal Ctra, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis J Romero
- Área de Epidemiología, Subdirección General de Sanidad e Higiene Animal y Trazabilidad, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena García
- Área de Epidemiología, Subdirección General de Sanidad e Higiene Animal y Trazabilidad, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Parra
- Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Edificio Santiago Gascón, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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Águeda-Pinto A, Lemos de Matos A, Abrantes M, Kraberger S, Risalde MA, Gortázar C, McFadden G, Varsani A, Esteves PJ. Genetic Characterization of a Recombinant Myxoma Virus in the Iberian Hare ( Lepus granatensis). Viruses 2019; 11:v11060530. [PMID: 31181645 PMCID: PMC6631704 DOI: 10.3390/v11060530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Myxomatosis is a lethal disease in wild European and domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), which is caused by a Myxoma virus (MYXV) infection-a leporipoxvirus that is found naturally in some Sylvilagus rabbit species in South America and California. The introduction of MYXV into feral European rabbit populations of Australia and Europe, in the early 1950s, demonstrated the best-documented field example of host-virus coevolution, following a cross-species transmission. Recently, a new cross-species jump of MYXV has been suggested in both Great Britain and Spain, where European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) and Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) were found dead with lesions consistent with those observed in myxomatosis. To investigate the possibility of a new cross-species transmission event by MYXV, tissue samples collected from a wild Iberian hare found dead in Spain (Toledo region) were analyzed and deep sequenced. Our results reported a new MYXV isolate (MYXV Toledo) in the tissues of this species. The genome of this new virus was found to encode three disruptive genes (M009L, M036L, and M152R) and a novel ~2.8 kb recombinant region, which resulted from an insertion of four novel poxviral genes towards the 3' end of the negative strand of its genome. From the open reading frames inserted into the MYXV Toledo virus, a new orthologue of a poxvirus host range gene family member was identified, which was related to the MYXV gene M064R. Overall, we confirmed the identity of a new MYXV isolate in Iberian hares, which, we hypothesized, was able to more effectively counteract the host defenses in hares and start an infectious process in this new host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Águeda-Pinto
- CIBIO/InBio-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines, and Virotherapy (CIVV), The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Ana Lemos de Matos
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines, and Virotherapy (CIVV), The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Mário Abrantes
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines, and Virotherapy (CIVV), The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine and School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Maria A Risalde
- Dpto. de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Universidad de Córdoba, Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Christian Gortázar
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo, 28005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Grant McFadden
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines, and Virotherapy (CIVV), The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine and School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Pedro J Esteves
- CIBIO/InBio-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
- CITS-Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias da Saúde, IPSN, CESPU, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal.
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Punctuated Evolution of Myxoma Virus: Rapid and Disjunct Evolution of a Recent Viral Lineage in Australia. J Virol 2019; 93:JVI.01994-18. [PMID: 30728252 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01994-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxoma virus (MYXV) has been evolving in a novel host species-European rabbits-in Australia since 1950. Previous studies of viruses sampled from 1950 to 1999 revealed a remarkably clock-like evolutionary process across all Australian lineages of MYXV. Through an analysis of 49 newly generated MYXV genome sequences isolated in Australia between 2008 and 2017, we show that MYXV evolution in Australia can be characterized by three lineages, one of which exhibited a greatly elevated rate of evolutionary change and a dramatic breakdown of temporal structure. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this apparently punctuated evolutionary event occurred between 1996 and 2012. The branch leading to the rapidly evolving lineage contained a relatively high number of nonsynonymous substitutions, and viruses in this lineage reversed a mutation found in the progenitor standard laboratory strain (SLS) and all previous sequences that disrupts the reading frame of the M005L/R gene. Analysis of genes encoding proteins involved in DNA synthesis or RNA transcription did not reveal any mutations likely to cause rapid evolution. Although there was some evidence for recombination across the MYXV phylogeny, this was not associated with the increase in the evolutionary rate. The period from 1996 to 2012 saw significant declines in wild rabbit numbers, due to the introduction of rabbit hemorrhagic disease and prolonged drought in southeastern Australia, followed by the partial recovery of populations. It is therefore possible that a rapidly changing environment for virus transmission changed the selection pressures faced by MYXV, altering the course and pace of virus evolution.IMPORTANCE The coevolution of myxoma virus (MYXV) and European rabbits in Australia is one of the most important natural experiments in evolutionary biology, providing insights into virus adaptation to new hosts and the evolution of virulence. Previous studies of MYXV evolution have also shown that the virus evolves both relatively rapidly and in a strongly clock-like manner. Using newly acquired MYXV genome sequences from Australia, we show that the virus has experienced a dramatic change in evolutionary behavior over the last 20 years, with a breakdown in clock-like structure, the appearance of a rapidly evolving virus lineage, and the accumulation of multiple nonsynonymous and indel mutations. We suggest that this punctuated evolutionary event may reflect a change in selection pressures as rabbit numbers declined following the introduction of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus and drought in the geographic regions inhabited by rabbits.
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Zhu Y, Li Y, Bai B, Fang J, Zhang K, Yin X, Li S, Li W, Ma Y, Cui Y, Wang J, Liu X, Li X, Sun L, Jin N. Construction of an attenuated goatpox virus AV41 strain by deleting the TK gene and ORF8-18. Antiviral Res 2018; 157:111-119. [PMID: 30030019 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Goatpox virus (GTPV) is prevalent in goats and is associated with high mortality. This virus causes fever, skin nodules, lesions in the respiratory and lymph node enlargement. Considering the safety risks and side effects of vaccination with attenuated live GPTV vaccine strain AV41, an attenuated goatpox virus (GTPV-TK-ORF), was constructed by deleting non-essential gene fragments without affecting replication and related to the virulence and immunomodulatory functions of the goatpox virus AV41 strain (GTPV-AV41) using homologous recombination and the Cre (Cyclization Recombination Enzyme)/Loxp system. The results of both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that GTPV-TK-ORF was safer than wild type GTPV-AV41, possessed satisfactory immunogenicity, and could protect goats from a virulent GTPV-AV40 infection. Moreover, the IFN-γ, GTPV-specific antibody, and neutralizing antibody levels in the GTPV-TK-ORF-immunized group were significantly higher than that in the normal saline control group following immunization (P < 0.01). Thus, GTPV-TK-ORF may be used as a potential novel vaccine and viral vector with good safety and immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilong Zhu
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Yiquan Li
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China; Medical College, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, China
| | - Bing Bai
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Jinbo Fang
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Kelong Zhang
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Xunzhe Yin
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Shanzhi Li
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Wenjie Li
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Yizhen Ma
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Yingli Cui
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Xing Liu
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China; Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China.
| | - Lili Sun
- Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tumor Hospital of Jilin Province, Changchun, 130012, China.
| | - Ningyi Jin
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117, China; Institute of Military Veterinary Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Science, Changchun, 130122, China; Institute of Virology, Wenzhou University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Reverse Engineering Field Isolates of Myxoma Virus Demonstrates that Some Gene Disruptions or Losses of Function Do Not Explain Virulence Changes Observed in the Field. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.01289-17. [PMID: 28768866 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01289-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The coevolution of myxoma virus (MYXV) and wild European rabbits in Australia and Europe is a paradigm for the evolution of a pathogen in a new host species. Genomic analyses have identified the mutations that have characterized this evolutionary process, but defining causal mutations in the pathways from virulence to attenuation and back to virulence has not been possible. Using reverse genetics, we examined the roles of six selected mutations found in Australian field isolates of MYXV that fall in known or potential virulence genes. Several of these mutations occurred in genes previously identified as virulence genes in whole-gene knockout studies. Strikingly, no single or double mutation among the mutations tested had an appreciable impact on virulence. This suggests either that virulence evolution was defined by amino acid changes other than those analyzed here or that combinations of multiple mutations, possibly involving epistatic interactions or noncoding sequences, have been critical in the ongoing evolution of MYXV virulence. In sum, our results show that single-gene knockout studies of a progenitor virus can have little power to predict the impact of individual mutations seen in the field. The genetic determinants responsible for this canonical case of virulence evolution remain to be determined.IMPORTANCE The species jump of myxoma virus (MYXV) from the South American tapeti to the European rabbit populations of Australia and Europe is a canonical example of host-pathogen coevolution. Detailed molecular studies have identified multiple genes in MYXV that are critical for virulence, and genome sequencing has revealed the evolutionary history of MYXV in Australia and Europe. However, it has not been possible to categorically identify the key mutations responsible for the attenuation of or reversion to virulence during this evolutionary process. Here we use reverse genetics to examine the role of mutations in viruses isolated early and late in the Australian radiation of MYXV. Surprisingly, none of the candidate mutations that we identified as likely having roles in attenuation proved to be important for virulence. This indicates that considerable caution is warranted when interpreting the possible role of individual mutations during virulence evolution.
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Kerr PJ, Cattadori IM, Rogers MB, Fitch A, Geber A, Liu J, Sim DG, Boag B, Eden JS, Ghedin E, Read AF, Holmes EC. Genomic and phenotypic characterization of myxoma virus from Great Britain reveals multiple evolutionary pathways distinct from those in Australia. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006252. [PMID: 28253375 PMCID: PMC5349684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-evolution of myxoma virus (MYXV) and the European rabbit occurred independently in Australia and Europe from different progenitor viruses. Although this is the canonical study of the evolution of virulence, whether the genomic and phenotypic outcomes of MYXV evolution in Europe mirror those observed in Australia is unknown. We addressed this question using viruses isolated in the United Kingdom early in the MYXV epizootic (1954-1955) and between 2008-2013. The later UK viruses fell into three distinct lineages indicative of a long period of separation and independent evolution. Although rates of evolutionary change were almost identical to those previously described for MYXV in Australia and strongly clock-like, genome evolution in the UK and Australia showed little convergence. The phenotypes of eight UK viruses from three lineages were characterized in laboratory rabbits and compared to the progenitor (release) Lausanne strain. Inferred virulence ranged from highly virulent (grade 1) to highly attenuated (grade 5). Two broad disease types were seen: cutaneous nodular myxomatosis characterized by multiple raised secondary cutaneous lesions, or an amyxomatous phenotype with few or no secondary lesions. A novel clinical outcome was acute death with pulmonary oedema and haemorrhage, often associated with bacteria in many tissues but an absence of inflammatory cells. Notably, reading frame disruptions in genes defined as essential for virulence in the progenitor Lausanne strain were compatible with the acquisition of high virulence. Combined, these data support a model of ongoing host-pathogen co-evolution in which multiple genetic pathways can produce successful outcomes in the field that involve both different virulence grades and disease phenotypes, with alterations in tissue tropism and disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Kerr
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Isabella M. Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Rogers
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States of America
| | - Adam Fitch
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States of America
| | - Adam Geber
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States of America
| | - June Liu
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Derek G. Sim
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States of America
| | - Brian Boag
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, DD2 5DA, United Kingdom
| | - John-Sebastian Eden
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Elodie Ghedin
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States of America
| | - Andrew F. Read
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States of America
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States of America
| | - Edward C. Holmes
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
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Braun C, Thürmer A, Daniel R, Schultz AK, Bulla I, Schirrmeier H, Mayer D, Neubert A, Czerny CP. Genetic Variability of Myxoma Virus Genomes. J Virol 2017; 91:e01570-16. [PMID: 27903800 PMCID: PMC5286896 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01570-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxomatosis is a recurrent problem on rabbit farms throughout Europe despite the success of vaccines. To identify gene variations of field and vaccine strains that may be responsible for changes in virulence, immunomodulation, and immunoprotection, the genomes of 6 myxoma virus (MYXV) strains were sequenced: German field isolates Munich-1, FLI-H, 2604, and 3207; vaccine strain MAV; and challenge strain ZA. The analyzed genomes ranged from 147.6 kb (strain MAV) to 161.8 kb (strain 3207). All sequences were affected by several mutations, covering 24 to 93 open reading frames (ORFs) and resulted in amino acid substitutions, insertions, or deletions. Only strains Munich-1 and MAV revealed the deletion of 10 ORFs (M007L to M015L) and 11 ORFs (M007L to M008.1L and M149R to M008.1R), respectively. Major differences were observed in the 27 immunomodulatory proteins encoded by MYXV. Compared to the reference strain Lausanne, strains FLI-H, 2604, 3207, and ZA showed the highest amino acid identity (>98.4%). In strains Munich-1 and MAV, deletion of 5 and 10 ORFs, respectively, was observed, encoding immunomodulatory proteins with ankyrin repeats or members of the family of serine protease inhibitors. Furthermore, putative immunodominant surface proteins with homology to vaccinia virus (VACV) were investigated in the sequenced strains. Only strain MAV revealed above-average frequencies of amino acid substitutions and frameshift mutations. Finally, we performed recombination analysis and found signs of recombination in vaccine strain MAV. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship of strain MAV and the MSW strain of Californian MYXV. However, in a challenge model, strain MAV provided full protection against lethal challenges with strain ZA. IMPORTANCE Myxoma virus (MYXV) is pathogenic for European rabbits and two North American species. Due to sophisticated strategies in immune evasion and oncolysis, MYXV is an important model virus for immunological and pathological research. In its natural hosts, MYXV causes a benign infection, whereas in European rabbits, it causes the lethal disease myxomatosis. Since the introduction of MYXV into Australia and Europe for the biological control of European rabbits in the 1950s, a coevolution of host and pathogen has started, selecting for attenuated virus strains and increased resistance in rabbits. Evolution of viruses is a continuous process and influences the protective potential of vaccines. In our analyses, we sequenced 6 MYXV field, challenge, and vaccine strains. We focused on genes encoding proteins involved in virulence, host range, immunomodulation, and envelope composition. Genes affected most by mutations play a role in immunomodulation. However, attenuation cannot be linked to individual mutations or gene disruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Braun
- Department of Animal Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Division of Microbiology and Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Thürmer
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anne-Kathrin Schultz
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ingo Bulla
- Institute for Mathematics and Informatics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Horst Schirrmeier
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | | | - Claus-Peter Czerny
- Department of Animal Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Division of Microbiology and Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Myxoma virus M156 is a specific inhibitor of rabbit PKR but contains a loss-of-function mutation in Australian virus isolates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:3855-60. [PMID: 26903626 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1515613113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxoma virus (MYXV) is a rabbit-specific poxvirus, which is highly virulent in European rabbits. The attenuation of MYXV and the increased resistance of rabbits following the release of MYXV in Australia is one of the best-documented examples of host-pathogen coevolution. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the restriction of MYXV infection to rabbits and MYXV attenuation in the field, we have studied the interaction of the MYXV protein M156 with the host antiviral protein kinase R (PKR). In yeast and cell-culture transfection assays, M156 only inhibited rabbit PKR but not PKR from other tested mammalian species. Infection assays with human HeLa PKR knock-down cells, which were stably transfected with human or rabbit PKR, revealed that only human but not rabbit PKR was able to restrict MYXV infection, whereas both PKRs were able to restrict replication of a vaccinia virus (VACV) strain that lacks the PKR inhibitors E3 and K3. Inactivation of M156R led to MYXV virus attenuation in rabbit cells, which was rescued by the ectopic expression of VACV E3 and K3. We further show that a mutation in the M156 encoding gene that was identified in more than 50% of MYXV field isolates from Australia resulted in an M156 variant that lost its ability to inhibit rabbit PKR and led to virus attenuation. The species-specific inhibition of rabbit PKR by M156 and the M156 loss-of-function in Australian MYXV field isolates might thus contribute to the species specificity of MYXV and to the attenuation in the field, respectively.
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Dalton K, Nicieza I, de Llano D, Gullón J, Inza M, Petralanda M, Arroita Z, Parra F. Vaccine breaks: Outbreaks of myxomatosis on Spanish commercial rabbit farms. Vet Microbiol 2015; 178:208-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Kerr PJ, Liu J, Cattadori I, Ghedin E, Read AF, Holmes EC. Myxoma virus and the Leporipoxviruses: an evolutionary paradigm. Viruses 2015; 7:1020-61. [PMID: 25757062 PMCID: PMC4379559 DOI: 10.3390/v7031020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Myxoma virus (MYXV) is the type species of the Leporipoxviruses, a genus of Chordopoxvirinae, double stranded DNA viruses, whose members infect leporids and squirrels, inducing cutaneous fibromas from which virus is mechanically transmitted by biting arthropods. However, in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), MYXV causes the lethal disease myxomatosis. The release of MYXV as a biological control for the wild European rabbit population in Australia, initiated one of the great experiments in evolution. The subsequent coevolution of MYXV and rabbits is a classic example of natural selection acting on virulence as a pathogen adapts to a novel host species. Slightly attenuated mutants of the progenitor virus were more readily transmitted by the mosquito vector because the infected rabbit survived longer, while highly attenuated viruses could be controlled by the rabbit immune response. As a consequence, moderately attenuated viruses came to dominate. This evolution of the virus was accompanied by selection for genetic resistance in the wild rabbit population, which may have created an ongoing co-evolutionary dynamic between resistance and virulence for efficient transmission. This natural experiment was repeated on a continental scale with the release of a separate strain of MYXV in France and its subsequent spread throughout Europe. The selection of attenuated strains of virus and resistant rabbits mirrored the experience in Australia in a very different environment, albeit with somewhat different rates. Genome sequencing of the progenitor virus and the early radiation, as well as those from the 1990s in Australia and Europe, has shown that although MYXV evolved at high rates there was no conserved route to attenuation or back to virulence. In contrast, it seems that these relatively large viral genomes have the flexibility for multiple pathways that converge on a similar phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Kerr
- CSIRO Biosecurity Flagship, Black Mountain Laboratories, Clunies Ross Street, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - June Liu
- CSIRO Biosecurity Flagship, Black Mountain Laboratories, Clunies Ross Street, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Isabella Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Elodie Ghedin
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology and Global Institute of Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
| | - Andrew F Read
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Edward C Holmes
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Biological Sciences, and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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Boutard B, Vankerckhove S, Markine-Goriaynoff N, Sarlet M, Desmecht D, McFadden G, Vanderplasschen A, Gillet L. The α2,3-sialyltransferase encoded by myxoma virus is a virulence factor that contributes to immunosuppression. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118806. [PMID: 25705900 PMCID: PMC4338283 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxoma virus (MYXV) induces a lethal disease called Myxomatosis in European rabbits. MYXV is one of the rare viruses that encodes an α2,3-sialyltransferase through its M138L gene. In this study, we showed that although the absence of the enzyme was not associated with any in vitro deficit, the M138L deficient strains are highly attenuated in vivo. Indeed, while all rabbits infected with the parental and the revertant strains died within 9 days post-infection from severe myxomatosis, all but one rabbit inoculated with the M138L deficient strains survived the infection. In primary lesions, this resistance to the infection was associated with an increased ability of innate immune cells, mostly neutrophils, to migrate to the site of virus replication at 4 days post-infection. This was followed by the development of a better specific immune response against MYXV. Indeed, at day 9 post-infection, we observed an important proliferation of lymphocytes and an intense congestion of blood vessels in lymph nodes after M138L knockouts infection. Accordingly, in these rabbits, we observed an intense mononuclear cell infiltration throughout the dermis in primary lesions and higher titers of neutralizing antibodies. Finally, this adaptive immune response provided protection to these surviving rabbits against a challenge with the MYXV WT strain. Altogether, these results show that expression of the M138L gene contributes directly or indirectly to immune evasion by MYXV. In the future, these results could help us to better understand the pathogenesis of myxomatosis but also the importance of glycans in regulation of immune responses.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptive Immunity/immunology
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- DNA, Viral/blood
- DNA, Viral/genetics
- DNA, Viral/immunology
- Gene Knockout Techniques
- Host-Pathogen Interactions/immunology
- Immune Tolerance/immunology
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear/virology
- Male
- Myxoma virus/immunology
- Myxoma virus/pathogenicity
- Myxoma virus/physiology
- Myxomatosis, Infectious/blood
- Myxomatosis, Infectious/immunology
- Myxomatosis, Infectious/virology
- Rabbits
- Sialyltransferases/genetics
- Sialyltransferases/immunology
- Sialyltransferases/metabolism
- Survival Analysis
- Time Factors
- Viral Proteins/genetics
- Viral Proteins/immunology
- Viral Proteins/metabolism
- Virulence/genetics
- Virulence/immunology
- Virulence Factors/genetics
- Virulence Factors/immunology
- Virulence Factors/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérengère Boutard
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Sophie Vankerckhove
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Markine-Goriaynoff
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Mickaël Sarlet
- Pathology, Department of Morphology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Daniel Desmecht
- Pathology, Department of Morphology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Grant McFadden
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Alain Vanderplasschen
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurent Gillet
- Immunology-Vaccinology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, FARAH, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Viral biocontrol: grand experiments in disease emergence and evolution. Trends Microbiol 2014; 23:83-90. [PMID: 25455418 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Although viral emergence is commonly associated with cross-species transmission, the processes and determinants of viral evolution in a novel host environment are poorly understood. We address key questions in virus emergence and evolution using data generated from two unique natural experiments: the deliberate release of myxoma virus (MYXV) and rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) as biological control (biocontrol) agents against the European rabbit in Australia, and which have been of enormous benefit to Australia's ecosystem and agricultural industries. Notably, although virulence evolution in MYXV and RHDV followed different trajectories, a strongly parallel evolutionary process was observed in Australia and Europe. These biocontrol agents were also characterized by a lack of transmission to nontarget host species, suggesting that there are major barriers to successful emergence.
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Baker KS, Murcia PR. Poxviruses in bats … so what? Viruses 2014; 6:1564-77. [PMID: 24704730 PMCID: PMC4014710 DOI: 10.3390/v6041564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Poxviruses are important pathogens of man and numerous domestic and wild animal species. Cross species (including zoonotic) poxvirus infections can have drastic consequences for the recipient host. Bats are a diverse order of mammals known to carry lethal viral zoonoses such as Rabies, Hendra, Nipah, and SARS. Consequent targeted research is revealing bats to be infected with a rich diversity of novel viruses. Poxviruses were recently identified in bats and the settings in which they were found were dramatically different. Here, we review the natural history of poxviruses in bats and highlight the relationship of the viruses to each other and their context in the Poxviridae family. In addition to considering the zoonotic potential of these viruses, we reflect on the broader implications of these findings. Specifically, the potential to explore and exploit this newfound relationship to study coevolution and cross species transmission together with fundamental aspects of poxvirus host tropism as well as bat virology and immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate S Baker
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK.
| | - Pablo R Murcia
- University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
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Genome scale evolution of myxoma virus reveals host-pathogen adaptation and rapid geographic spread. J Virol 2013; 87:12900-15. [PMID: 24067966 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02060-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary interplay between myxoma virus (MYXV) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) following release of the virus in Australia in 1950 as a biological control is a classic example of host-pathogen coevolution. We present a detailed genomic and phylogeographic analysis of 30 strains of MYXV, including the Australian progenitor strain Standard Laboratory Strain (SLS), 24 Australian viruses isolated from 1951 to 1999, and three isolates from the early radiation in Britain from 1954 and 1955. We show that in Australia MYXV has spread rapidly on a spatial scale, with multiple lineages cocirculating within individual localities, and that both highly virulent and attenuated viruses were still present in the field through the 1990s. In addition, the detection of closely related virus lineages at sites 1,000 km apart suggests that MYXV moves freely in geographic space, with mosquitoes, fleas, and rabbit migration all providing means of transport. Strikingly, despite multiple introductions, all modern viruses appear to be ultimately derived from the original introductions of SLS. The rapidity of MYXV evolution was also apparent at the genomic scale, with gene duplications documented in a number of viruses. Duplication of potential virulence genes may be important in increasing the expression of virulence proteins and provides the basis for the evolution of novel functions. Mutations leading to loss of open reading frames were surprisingly frequent and in some cases may explain attenuation, but no common mutations that correlated with virulence or attenuation were identified.
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