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Marano JM, Cereghino C, Finkielstein CV, Weger-Lucarelli J. An in vitro workflow to create and modify infectious clones using replication cycle reaction. Virology 2023; 585:109-116. [PMID: 37331111 PMCID: PMC10528026 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Reverse genetics systems are critical tools in combating emerging viruses which enable a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms by which viruses cause disease. Traditional cloning approaches using bacteria are fraught with difficulties due to the bacterial toxicity of many viral sequences, resulting in unwanted mutations within the viral genome. Here, we describe a novel in vitro workflow that leverages gene synthesis and replication cycle reaction to produce a supercoiled infectious clone plasmid that is easy to distribute and manipulate. We developed two infectious clones as proof of concept: a low passage dengue virus serotype 2 isolate (PUO-218) and the USA-WA1/2020 strain of SARS-CoV-2, which replicated similarly to their respective parental viruses. Furthermore, we generated a medically relevant mutant of SARS-CoV-2, Spike D614G. Results indicate that our workflow is a viable method to generate and manipulate infectious clones for viruses that are notoriously difficult for traditional bacterial-based cloning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Marano
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, United States; Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.
| | - Chelsea Cereghino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, United States; Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.
| | - Carla V Finkielstein
- Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, USA; Integrated Cellular Responses Laboratory, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, United States; Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.
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Coatsworth H, Lippi CA, Vasquez C, Ayers JB, Stephenson CJ, Waits C, Florez M, Wilke AB, Unlu I, Medina J, Ryan SJ, Lednicky JA, Beier JC, Petrie W, Dinglasan RR. A molecular surveillance-guided vector control response to concurrent dengue and West Nile virus outbreaks in a COVID-19 hotspot of Florida. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2022; 11:100231. [PMID: 36778921 PMCID: PMC9903724 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2022.100231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Simultaneous dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks in Florida, USA, in 2020 resulted in 71 dengue virus serotype 1 and 86 WNV human cases. We hypothesized that we would find a number of DENV-1 positive mosquito pools, and that the distribution of these arbovirus-positive mosquito pools would be associated with those neighborhoods for which imported DENV cases have been recently reported in 2019 and 2020. Methods We collected and screened Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Anopheles crucians, Culex coronator, Cx. nigripalpus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes from Miami-Dade County (Florida) for DENV and WNV by rRT-qPCR. Spatial statistical analyses were performed to capture positive mosquito pool distribution in relation to land use, human demography, environmental variables, mosquito trap placement and reported human travel associated DENV cases to guide future mosquito control outbreak responses. Findings A rapid screen of 7,668 mosquitoes detected four DENV serotype 2 (DENV-2), nine DENV-4 and nine WNV-positive mosquito pools, which enabled swift and targeted abatement of trap sites by mosquito control. As expected, DENV-positive pools were in urban areas; however, we found WNV-positive mosquito pools in agricultural and recreational areas with no historical reports of WNV transmission. Interpretation These findings demonstrate the importance of proactive arbovirus surveillance in mosquito populations to prevent and control outbreaks, particularly when other illnesses (e.g., COVID-19), which present with similar symptoms, are circulating concurrently. Growing evidence for substantial infection prevalence of dengue in mosquitoes in the absence of local index cases suggests a higher level of dengue endemicity in Florida than previously thought. Funding This research was supported in part by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant 1U01CK000510-03, Southeastern Regional Center of Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases Gateway Program.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jasmine B. Ayers
- University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Christy Waits
- University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Navy Entomology Center of Excellence, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mary Florez
- University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Isik Unlu
- Miami-Dade Mosquito Control District, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Johana Medina
- Miami-Dade Mosquito Control District, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sadie J. Ryan
- University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - John A. Lednicky
- University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Stephenson CJ, Coatsworth H, Waits CM, Nazario-Maldonado NM, Mathias DK, Dinglasan RR, Lednicky JA. Geographic Partitioning of Dengue Virus Transmission Risk in Florida. Viruses 2021; 13:v13112232. [PMID: 34835038 PMCID: PMC8622774 DOI: 10.3390/v13112232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue viruses (DENVs) cause the greatest public health burden globally among the arthropod-borne viruses. DENV transmission risk has also expanded from tropical to subtropical regions due to the increasing range of its principal mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. Focal outbreaks of dengue fever (dengue) in the state of Florida (FL) in the USA have increased since 2009. However, little is known about the competence of Ae. aegypti populations across different regions of FL to transmit DENVs. To understand the effects of DENV genotype and serotype variations on vector susceptibility and transmission potential in FL, we orally infected a colony of Ae. aegypti (Orlando/ORL) with low passage or laboratory DENV-1 through -4. Low passage DENVs were more infectious to and had higher transmission potential by ORL mosquitoes. We used these same DENVs to examine natural Ae. aegypti populations to determine whether spatial distributions correlated with differential vector competence. Vector competence across all DENV serotypes was greater for mosquitoes from areas with the highest dengue incidence in south FL compared to north FL. Vector competence for low passage DENVs was significantly higher, revealing that transmission risk is influenced by virus/vector combinations. These data support a targeted mosquito-plus-pathogen screening approach to more accurately estimate DENV transmission risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline J. Stephenson
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Heather Coatsworth
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Christy M. Waits
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
- Navy Entomology Center of Excellence, Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, FL 32212, USA
| | - Nicole M. Nazario-Maldonado
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Derrick K. Mathias
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
| | - Rhoel R. Dinglasan
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
- Correspondence: (R.R.D.); (J.A.L.)
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA; (C.J.S.); (H.C.); (C.M.W.); (N.M.N.-M.); (D.K.M.)
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
- Correspondence: (R.R.D.); (J.A.L.)
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