Digital Commons Network^™

Local Admixture Of Amplified And Diversified Secreted Pathogenesis Determinants Shapes Mosaic Toxoplasma Gondii Genomes, Hernan Lorenzi, Asis Khan, Michael S. Behnke, Sivaranjani Namasivayam, Lakshmipuram S. Swapna, Michalis Hadjithomas, Svetlana Karamycheva, Deborah Pinney, Brian P. Brunk, James W. Ajioka, Daniel Ajzenberg, John C. Boothroyd, Jon P. Boyle, Marie L. Dardé, Maria A. Diaz-Miranda, Jitender P. Dubey, Heather M. Fritz, Solange M. Gennari, Brian D. Gregory, Kami Kim, Jeroen P. J. Saeij, Chunlei Su, Michael W. White, Xing-Quan Zhu, Daniel K. Howe, Benjamin M. Rosenthal, Michael E. Grigg, John Parkinson, Liang Liu, Jessica C. Kissinger

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is among the most prevalent parasites worldwide, infecting many wild and domestic animals and causing zoonotic infections in humans. T. gondii differs substantially in its broad distribution from closely related parasites that typically have narrow, specialized host ranges. To elucidate the genetic basis for these differences, we compared the genomes of 62 globally distributed T. gondii isolates to several closely related coccidian parasites. Our findings reveal that tandem amplification and diversification of secretory pathogenesis determinants is the primary feature that distinguishes the closely related genomes of these biologically diverse parasites. We further show that the unusual population structure …

Noninvasive Assessment Of Cardiac Abnormalities In Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis By Magnetic Resonance Microscopy Imaging In The Mouse, Chandirasegaran Massilamany, Vahid Khalilzad-Sharghi, Arunakumar Gangaplara, David Steffen, Shadi F. Othman, Jay Reddy

Jay Reddy Publications

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the myocardium, but only ~10% of those affected show clinical manifestations of the disease. To study the immune events of myocardial injuries, various mouse models of myocarditis have been widely used. This study involved experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) induced with cardiac myosin heavy chain (Myhc)-α 334-352 in A/J mice; the affected animals develop lymphocytic myocarditis but with no apparent clinical signs. In this model, the utility of magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) as a non-invasive modality to determine the cardiac structural and functional changes in animals immunized with Myhc-α 334-352 is shown. EAM and healthy mice …

Large Genomic Differences Between Moraxella Bovoculi Isolates Acquired From The Eyes Of Cattle With Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis Versus The Deep Nasopharynx Of Asymptomatic Cattle, Aaron M. Dickey, John D. Loy, James L. Bono, Timonthy P. L. Smith, Mike D. Apley, Brian V. Lubbers, Keith D. Dedonder, Sarah F. Capik, Robert L. Larson, Brad J. White, Jochen Blom, Carol G. Chitko-Mckown, Michael L. Clawson

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Moraxella bovoculi is a recently described bacterium that is associated with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or “pinkeye” in cattle. In this study, closed circularized genomes were generated for seven M. bovoculi isolates: three that originated from the eyes of clinical IBK bovine cases and four from the deep nasopharynx of asymptomatic cattle. Isolates that originated from the eyes of IBK cases profoundly differed from those that originated from the nasopharynx of asymptomatic cattle in genome structure, gene content and polymorphism diversity and consequently placed into two distinct phylogenetic groups. These results suggest that there are genetically distinct strains of M. …

Impact Of Short Compensatory Growth Periods On Performance,Carcass Traits, Fat Deposition, And Meat Properties Of Najdi Lambs, Ahmed Sami, Bander Al-Salbood, Mohamed Abouheif

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Forty-eight Najdi male lambs weighing 33.1 ± 0.06 kg and approximately 4.5 months old were divided into three groups (16 lambs in each) to study the impact of compensatory growth on performance, carcass traits, fat deposition, tissue distribution, and lean chemical composition. The control group was fed ad libitum throughout the entire 12 weeks of the trial period. The other two groups were feed-restricted by 20% and 40% of the ad libitum group intake. Lambs in restricted treatments were feed-restricted for 3 weeks followed by 4 weeks of ad libitum feeding (compensatory) and then 2 weeks of feed restriction followed …

Presence Of Pathogenic Escherichia Coli Is Correlated With Bacterial Community Diversity And Composition On Pre-Harvest Cattle Hides, Jessica Chopyk, Ryan M. Moore, Zachary Dispirito, Zachary R. Stromberg, Gentry L. Lewis, David G. Renter, Natalia Cernicchiaro, Rodney A. Moxley, K. Eric Wommack

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Since 1982, specific serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have been recognized as significant foodborne pathogens acquired from contaminated beef and, more recently, other food products. Cattle are the major reservoir hosts of these organisms, and while there have been advancements in food safety practices and industry standards, STEC still remains prevalent within beef cattle operations with cattle hides implicated as major sources of carcass contamination. To investigate whether the composition of hide-specific microbial communities are associated with STEC prevalence, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) bacterial community profiles were obtained from hide and fecal samples collected from a large …

Prevalence And Level Of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli In Culled Dairy Cows At Harvest, Zachary R. Stromberg, Gentry L. Lewis, Sharif S. Aly, Terry W. Lehenbauer, Joseph M. Bosilevac, Natalia Cernicchiaro, Rodney A. Moxley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and level of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 (collectively EHEC-6) plus EHEC O157 in fecal, hide, and preintervention carcass surface samples from culled dairy cows. Matched samples (n=300) were collected from 100 cows at harvest and tested by a culture-based method and two molecular methods: NeoSEEK STEC (NS) and Atlas STEC EG2 Combo. Both the culture and NS methods can be used to discriminate among the seven EHEC types (EHEC-7), from which the cumulative prevalence was inferred, whereas the Atlas method can discriminate …

Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Salivary Cortisol And Cyathostome Infestation In Horses, Danielle L. Keating

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

With an increase in anthelmintic resistance and decreased efficacy of many commercial dewormers, understanding factors that contribute to parasite infestations in horses is integral to their management. The goal of this study was to look at the potential relationship between parasites and stress response by evaluating salivary cortisol levels and cyathostome egg shedding levels. Using a sample size of n = 200 horses from the state of Ohio, fecal and saliva samples were collected from each horse. Fecal egg counts were performed for each horse with a modified Stoll method, and saliva samples were tested with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay …

Isolation Of Virulent Rhodococcus Equi From Arabian Horses In Şanlıurfa, Turkey, Osman Yaşar Tel, Oktay Keski̇n, Sevi̇l Erdenli̇ğ Gürbi̇lek

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The purposes of this study were to investigate plasmid profiles of the isolated virulent (VapA positive) agents by RFLP and to determine the quantitative aspects of Rhodococcus equi in the feces of adult horses and foals, as well as in soil. The frequency of detection of R. equi and virulent R. equi in fecal samples and soil was studied from 20 farms in the Şanlıurfa region. A total of 315 samples were examined. Nasal swabs from 25 foals with pneumonia were also analyzed. R. equi was isolated and identified from 263 (83.4%) samples originating from 15 out of 20 farms. …

The Role Of Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus As A Risk Factor In The Outbreak Of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea In Immunized Swine Herds, Mei-Zhou Huang, Hui Wang, Sheng-Yi Wang, Dong-An Cui, Xin Tuo, Yong-Ming Liu

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of the study was to investigate the relation between porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Here, we constructed a dynamic clinical experimental model in which sows were infected with PRRSV. The stability of the experimental model was surveyed by detecting the levels of antibodies against classical swine fever virus (CSFV) or PRRSV, respectively. In both group A (infected group) and group B (healthy group), the CSFV antibody level was not significantly different (P > 0.05). In group B, the PRRSV antibody level was also not significantly different (P > 0.05) at the three times …

In Ovo Feeding With Ss-Hydroxy Ss-Methylbutyrate And Broilerperformance, Intestinal Health, And Immunity Status, Ömer Hakan Muğlali, Mustafa Salman, Ayhan Gacar, Fi̇li̇z Akdağ, Mustafa Yavuz Gülbahar, Alper Çi̇ftçi̇, Ertan Emek Onuk, Fi̇li̇z Karadaş, Hüseyi̇n Eseceli̇

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The effects of in ovo administration of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on broiler performance, intestinal health, and immunity were investigated. At day 18 of incubation, fertile eggs were divided into negative (no injection) and positive (physiologic serum injection) controls and three HMB treatment groups. HMB solution was injected at 0.1% (Group 1), 0.2% (Group 2), and 0.3% (Group 3) concentrations. There were no significant differences between the groups for live weight gain, feed conversion rate, and hot carcass, breast meat, liver, and heart weight. However, the gizzard weight in Group 1 was significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). Although the intestinal villi lengths in the treatment Groups 1 and 3 on day 20 were greater than those in the control groups (P < 0.01), at the end of the experiment there were no significant differences among the groups. For antibody levels, the differences between groups on days 4 and 42 were highly significant (P < 0.01), and the antibody levels in Group 2 were higher than those in the other groups. Separately, growth performance and antibody levels were positively correlated with the length of villi in Group 2 (HMB 0.2%).

Purification Of Avian Influenza Virus (H9n2) From Allantoic Fluidby Size-Exclusion Chromatography, Ali Nazari Shirvan, Maedeh Samianifard, Naser Ghodsian

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Avian influenza viruses represent a rising threat of pandemic influenza. Allantoic fluid including influenza virus H9N2 was run on downstream processing to purify the virus. To do this, allantoic fluid was clarified and concentrated. It was applied to size exclusion chromatography. Different parameters such as ovalbumin, protein content, and hemagglutinin activity were determined to confirm the purity. The results may suggest that this method is quite efficient for achieving a purified H9N2 influenza virus and further reveal that size-exclusion chromatography is a practical method for purifying avian influenza viruses. In conclusion, this procedure can be used in vaccine production and …

The Efficacy Of Kaolin Clay In Reducing The Duration And Severity Of `Heat' Diarrhea In Foals, Magdalena Pieszka, Jaroslaw Luszczynski, Magdalena Hedrzak, Katerina Goncharova, Stefan G. Pierzynowski

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

'Heat' diarrhea in foals is an onerous but not life-threatening ailment, which indicates that it may be of osmotic origin. This was confirmed by a successful attempt, presented in this paper, to alleviate the severity and duration of foal heat diarrhea with the use of a typical absorbent, kaolin clay, as a feed additive, usually applied in feed production as an anticaking agent. Based on the present results, it can be concluded that treatment of foals maintained on different stud farms with a kaolin paste reduced the duration of heat diarrhea and alleviated its severity (P < 0.05 and P = 0.001). The observed action of kaolin clay, an excellent absorbent, suggests that the so-called heat diarrhea can be caused by disturbances in the intestinal osmotic balance at this specific age of foals. The use of this preparation can reduce the risk of secondary pathological viral or bacterial diarrhea and the requirement for veterinary intervention in foal management. It can also shorten the care period and increase foal well-being, essential for the normal development of a young horse. In addition, prophylactic application of an antidiarrheal preparation based on an industrial by-product, i.e. A cheap component, will reduce the costs of foal care.

Echinococcus Multilocularis In Foxes And Raccoon Dogs: An Increasing Concern For Baltic Countries, Guna Bagrade, Gunita Deksne, Zanda Ozoliņa, Samantha Jane Howlett, Maria Interisano, Adriano Casulli, Edoardo Pozio

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Background

In Europe, the life cycle of Echinococcus multilocularis is predominantly sylvatic, involving red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as the main definitive hosts and rodents such as muskrats and arvicolids as intermediate hosts. The parasite is the etiological agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, a malignant zoonotic disease caused by the accidental ingestion of eggs shed by definitive hosts in their feces. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of E. multilocularis in red foxes and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and to study the environmental factors favoring the perpetuation of the parasite in Latvia. …

Autoimmunity In Picornavirus Infections, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Andreas Koenig, Jay Reddy, Sally Huber, Iwona Buskiewicz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Enteroviruses are small, non-enveloped, positive-sense singlestrand RNA viruses, and are ubiquitously found throughout the world. These viruses usually cause asymptomatic or mild febrile illnesses, but have a propensity to induce severe diseases including type 1 diabetes and pancreatitis, paralysis and neuroinflammatory disease, myocarditis, or hepatitis. This pathogenicity may result from induction of autoimmunity to organ-specific antigens. While enterovirus-triggered autoimmunity can arise from multiple mechanisms including antigenic mimicry and release of sequestered antigens, the recent demonstration of T cells expressing dual T cell receptors arising as a natural consequence of Theiler’s virus infection is the first demonstration of this autoimmune mechanism.

Genome-Wide Search For Host Association Factors During Ovine Progressive Pneumonia Virus Infection, Jesse Thompson, Fangrui Ma, Meghan Quinn, Shi-Hua Xiang

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV) is an important virus that causes serious diseases in sheep and goats with a prevalence of 36% in the USA. Although OPPV was discovered more than half of a century ago, little is known about the infection and pathogenesis of this virus. In this report, we used RNA-seq technology to conduct a genome-wide probe for cellular factors that are associated with OPPV infection. A total of approximately 22,000 goat host genes were detected of which 657 were found to have been significantly up-regulated and 889 down-regulated at 12 hours post-infection. In addition to previously known …

Guidelines For The Use And Interpretation Of Assays For Monitoring Autophagy (3rd Edition), Daniel J. Klionsky, Rodrigo Franco, More Than 2,000 Co-Authors

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes.

For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that …

From Crystal Structure Of Α-Conotoxin Gic In Complex With Ac-Achbp To Molecular Determinants Of Its High Selectivity For Α3Β2 Nachr, Bo Lin, Manyu Xu, Xiaopeng Zhu, Yong Wu, Xi Liu, Dongting Zhangsun, Yuanyan Hu, Shi-Hua Xiang, Igor E. Kasheverov, Victor I. Tsetlin, Xinquan Wang, Sulan Luo

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Acetylcholine binding proteins (AChBPs) are unique spatial homologs of the ligand-binding domains of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and they reproduce some pharmacological properties of nAChRs. X-ray crystal structures of AСhBP in complex with α-conotoxins provide important insights into the interactions of α-conotoxins with distinct nAChR subtypes. Although considerable efforts have been made to understand why α-conotoxin GIC is strongly selective for α3β2 nAChR, this question has not yet been solved. Here we present the structure of α-conotoxin GIC in complex with Aplysia californica AChBP (Ac-AChBP) at a resolution of 2.1 Å. Based on this co-crystal structure complemented with molecular docking …

From Crystal Structure Of Α-Conotoxin Gic In Complex With Ac-Achbp To Molecular Determinants Of Its High Selectivity For Α3Β2 Nachr, Bo Lin, Manyu Xu, Xiaopeng Zhu, Yong Wu, Xi Liu, Dongting Zhangsun, Yuanyan Hu, Shi-Hua Xiang, Igor E. Kasheverov, Victor I. Tsetlin, Xianquan Wang, Sulan Luo

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Acetylcholine binding proteins (AChBPs) are unique spatial homologs of the ligand-binding domains of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and they reproduce some pharmacological properties of nAChRs. X-ray crystal structures of AСhBP in complex with α-conotoxins provide important insights into the interactions of α-conotoxins with distinct nAChR subtypes. Although considerable efforts have been made to understand why α-conotoxin GIC is strongly selective for α3β2 nAChR, this question has not yet been solved. Here we present the structure of α-conotoxin GIC in complex with Aplysia californica AChBP (Ac-AChBP) at a resolution of 2.1 Å. Based on this co-crystal structure complemented with molecular docking …

A Synthetic Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Unprecedented Levels Of Heterologous Protection, Hiep Vu, Fangrui Ma, William W. Laegreid, Asit K. Pattnaik, David Steffen, Alan R. Doster, Fernando A. Osorio

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Current vaccines do not provide sufficient levels of protection against divergent porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains circulating in the field, mainly due to the substantial variation of the viral genome. We describe here a novel approach to generate a PRRSV vaccine candidate that could confer unprecedented levels of heterologous protection against divergent PRRSV isolates. Using a set of 59 non-redundant, full genome sequences of type-2 PRRSV, a consensus genome (designated as PRRSV-CON) was these 59 PRRSV full genome sequences, followed by selecting the most common nucleotide found at each position of the alignment. Next, the synthetic PRRSV-CON …

Overview Of Rhabdo- And Filoviruses, Asit K. Pattnaik, Michael A. Whitt

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Enveloped viruses with a negative-sense, single-stranded monopartite RNA genome have been classified into the order Mononegavirales. Five families of viruses that constitute the order are: Rhabdoviridae, Filoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Bornaviridae and Nyamiviridae. Members of these families possess a helical nucleocapsid core containing the viral genome and a host-derived lipid envelope containing viral proteins. This introductory chapter provides a brief overview of the Rhabdoviridae and the Filoviridae, the two families of viruses that are the subject of this book. Many members of these two families are highly significant human and animal pathogens. The rationale and goal of the book is to …

On And Off Retinal Ganglion Cells Differentially Regulate Serotonergic And Gabaergic Activity In The Dorsal Raphe Nucleus, Ting Zhang, Lu Huang, Li Zhang, Minjie Tan, Mingliang Pu, Gary E. Pickard, Kwok -Fai So, Chaoran Ren

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), the major source of serotonergic input to the forebrain, receives excitatory input from the retina that can modulate serotonin levels and depressive-like behavior. In the Mongolian gerbil, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with alpha-like morphological and Y-like physiological properties innervate the DRN with ON DRN-projecting RGCs out numbering OFF DRN-projecting RGCs. The DRN neurons targeted by ON and OFF RGCs are unknown. To explore retino-raphe anatomical organization, retinal afferents labeled with Cholera toxin B were examined for association with the postsynaptic protein PSD-95. Synaptic associations between retinal afferents and DRN serotonergic and GABAergic neurons were observed. …

Whole Genomic Sequence Analysis Of Bacillus Infantis: Defining The Genetic Blueprint Of Strain Nrrl B-14911, An Emerging Cardiopathogenic Microbe, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Akram Mohammed, John Dustin Loy, Tanya Purvis, Bharathi Krishnan, Rakesh H. Basavalingappa, Christy M. Kelley, Chittibabu Guda, Raúl G. Barletta, Etsuko N. Moriyama, Timothy P.L. Smith, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: We recently reported the identification of Bacillus sp. NRRL B-14911 that induces heart autoimmunity by generating cardiac-reactive T cells through molecular mimicry. This marine bacterium was originally isolated from the Gulf of Mexico, but no associations with human diseases were reported. Therefore, to characterize its biological and medical significance, we sought to determine and analyze the complete genome sequence of Bacillus sp. NRRL B-14911.

Results: Based on the phylogenetic analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic transcribed spacers, phenotypic microarray, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-offlight mass spectrometry, we propose that this …

Host Cell Functions In Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Replication, Phat X. Dinh, Anshuman Das, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), the prototypic rhabdovirus, has been used as an excellent paradigm for understanding the mechanisms of virus replication, pathogenesis, host response to virus infection and also for myriads of studies on cellular and molecular biology. Biochemical studies as well as high-throughput genomics, proteomics, and chemical approaches have revealed a plethora of cellular factors and pathways that regulate replication of VSV. These factors include those that support virus replication and also those that restrict its replication. This chapter discusses the role(s) of many of these host cell factors and pathways involved in VSV replication. Although mechanistic understanding of …

Erratum To: Association Of Autophagy In The Cell Death Mediated By Dihydrotestosterone In Autoreactive T Cells Independent Of Antigenic Stimulation, Ting Jia, Anandhan Annadurai, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Rajkumar A. Rajasekaran, Rodrigo Franco, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

New Tools To Convert Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes To A Self-Excising Design And Their Application To A Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infectious Clone, Alexsia L. Richards, Patricia J. Sollars, Gregory A. Smith

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Infectious clones are fundamental tools for the study of many viruses, allowing for efficient mutagenesis and reproducible production of genetically-defined strains. For the large dsDNA genomes of the herpesviridae, bacterial artificial chromosomes have become the cloning vector of choice due to their capacity to house full-length herpesvirus genomes as single contiguous inserts. Furthermore, while maintained as plasmids in Escherichia coli, the clones can be mutated using robust prokaryotic recombination systems. An important consideration in the design of these clones is the means by which the vector backbone is removed from the virus genome upon delivery into mammalian cells. …

Resolving Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Subtypes From Persistently Infected U.S. Beef Calves With Complete Genome Sequence, Aspen M. Workman, Michael P. Heaton, Gregory P. Harhay, Timothy P.L. Smith, Dale M. Grotelueschen, David Sjeklocha, Bruce Brodersen, Jessica L. Petersen, Carol G. Chitko-Mckown

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is classified into 2 genotypes, BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, each of which contains distinct subtypes with genetic and antigenic variation. To effectively control BVDV by vaccination, it is important to know which subtypes of the virus are circulating and how their prevalence is changing over time. Accordingly, the purpose of our study was to estimate the current prevalence and diversity of BVDV subtypes from persistently infected (PI) beef calves in the central United States. Phylogenetic analysis of the 5′-UTR (5′ untranslated region) for 119 virus strains revealed that a majority (82%) belonged to genotype 1b, and …

Maporal Hantavirus Causes Mild Pathology In Deer Mice (Peromyscus Maniculatus), Amanda Mcguire, Kaitlyn Miedema, Joseph R. Fauver, Amber Rico, Tawfik Aboellail, Sandra L. Quackenbush, Ann Hawkinson, Tony Schountz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause two human diseases with many pathological similarities: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the western hemisphere and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the eastern hemisphere. Each virus is hosted by specific reservoir species without conspicuous disease. HCPS-causing hantaviruses require animal biosafety level-4 (ABSL-4) containment, which substantially limits experimental research of interactions between the viruses and their reservoir hosts. Maporal virus (MAPV) is a South American hantavirus not known to cause disease in humans, thus it can be manipulated under ABSL-3 conditions. The aim of this study was to develop an ABSL-3 hantavirus infection model using the …

The Mechanistic Basis Of Hemoglobin Adaptation In The High-Flying Barheaded Goose: Insights From Ancestral Protein Resurrection, Chandrasekhar Natarajan, Amit Kumar, Hideaki Moriyama, Roy E. Weber, Angela Fago, Jay F. Storz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The bar-headed goose (‘BHG’, Anser indicus) is renowned for its trans-Himalayan migratory flights, and the elevated hemoglobin (Hb)-O2 affinity of this species is thought to make a key contribution to its capacity for powered flight at elevations of ~9000 m. Here we revisit the molecular basis of this text-book example of biochemical adaptation. Previous hypotheses about the molecular basis of the evolved increase in Hb-O2 affinity were tested by engineering BHGspecific mutations into recombinant human Hb. This approach can provide important insights, but one problem with such ‘horizontal’ comparisons – swapping residues between proteins of contemporary species – is that …

Localization Of Cd8 T Cell Epitope Within Cardiac Myosin Heavy Chain-Α334-352 That Induces Autoimmune Myocarditis In A/J Mice, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Rakesh H. Basavalingappa, Rajkumar A. Rajasekaran, Vahid Khalilzad-Sharghi, Zhongji Han, Shadi F. Othman, David Steffen, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background—Cardiac myosin heavy chain-α (Myhc), an intracellular protein expressed in the cardiomyocytes, has been identified as a major autoantigen in cardiac autoimmunity. In our studies with Myhc_334-352-induced experimental autoimmune myocarditis in A/J mice (H-2a), we discovered that Myhc_334-352, supposedly a CD4 T cell epitope, also induced antigen-specific CD8 T cells that transfer disease to naïve animals.

Methods and Results—In our efforts to identify the CD8 T cell determinants, we localized Myhc_338-348 within the full length-Myhc_334-352, leading to four key findings. (1) By acting as a dual epitope, Myhc_338-348 induces both …

Visualizing Herpesvirus Procapsids In Living Cells, Oana Maier, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Gregory A. Smith

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

A complete understanding of herpesvirus morphogenesis requires studies of capsid assembly dynamics in living cells. Although fluorescent tags fused to the VP26 and pUL25 capsid proteins are available, neither of these components is present on the initial capsid assembly, the procapsid. To make procapsids accessible to live-cell imaging, we made a series of recombinant pseudorabies viruses that encoded green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused in frame to the internal capsid scaffold and maturation protease. One recombinant, a GFP-VP24 fusion, maintained wild-type propagation kinetics in vitro and approximated wild-type virulence in vivo. The fusion also proved to be well tolerated in …