Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

Il-10 As A Th2 Cytokine: Differences Between Mice And Humans, Mahima T. Rasquinha, Meghna Sur, Ninaad Lasrado, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The discovery of interleukin (IL)-10 more than 30 years ago marked the beginning of our understanding of how cytokines regulate immune responses, based on cross-regulation between T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cytokines. Although multiple cell types were shown to produce IL-10, its identity as a Th2 cytokine remained strong since it was rigidly associated with Th2 clones in mice, whereas both Th1 and Th2 clones could secrete IL-10 in humans. However, as new Th1/Th2 cell functionalities emerged, anti-inflammatory action of IL-10 gained more attention than its inhibitory effect on Th1 cells, which may occur as an indirect consequence of suppression …

High Prevalence Of Pre-Existing Serological Cross-Reactivity Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (Sars- Cov-2) In Sub-Saharan Africa, For Yue Tso, Salum Lidenge, Phoebe B. Peña, Ashley A. Clegg, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Owen Ngalamika, Peter Julius, John T. West, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Significant morbidity and mortality have occurred in the USA, Europe, and Asia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), whereas the numbers of infections and deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have remained comparatively low. It has been hypothesized that exposure of the population in SSA to other coronaviruses prior to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in some degree of cross-protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive antibodies in pre-pandemic plasma samples collected from SSA and the USA.

Method: Pre-COVID-19 pandemic plasma samples from SSA and the USA were collected and tested by …

The 20th Anniversary Meeting Of The Rocky Mountain Virology Association, Joel Rovnak, Laura A. St Clair, Carley Mcalister, Chinemerem P. Ogbu, Jessica Smolenske, Randall J. Cohrs, Rushika Perera

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple devastating forest fires, the 2020 meeting of the Rocky Mountain Virology Association was held virtually. The three-day gathering featured talks describing recent advances in virology and prion research. The keynote presentation described the measles virus paradox of immune suppression and life-long immunity. Special invited speakers presented information concerning visualizing antiviral effector cell biology in mucosal tissues, uncovering the T-cell tropism of Epstein-Barr virus type 2, a history and current survey of coronavirus spike proteins, a summary of Zika virus vaccination and immunity, the innate immune response to flavivirus infections, a discussion concerning prion …

Chlorovirus Pbcv-1 Multidomain Protein A111/114r Has Three Glycosyltransferase Functions Involved In The Synthesis Of Atypical N-Glycans, Eric Noel, Anna Notaro, Immacolata Speciale, Garry A. Duncan, Cristina De Castro, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The structures of the four N-linked glycans from the prototype chlorovirus PBCV-1 major capsid protein do not resemble any other glycans in the three domains of life. All known chloroviruses and antigenic variants (or mutants) share a unique conserved central glycan core consisting of five sugars, except for antigenic mutant virus P1L6, which has four of the five sugars. A combination of ge- netic and structural analyses indicates that the protein coded by PBCV-1 gene a111/114r, conserved in all chloroviruses, is a glycosyltransferase with three putative domains of approximately 300 amino acids each. Here, in addition to in silico sequence …

Strategies Targeting Hemagglutinin As A Universal Influenza Vaccine, Brianna L. Bullard, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Influenza virus has significant viral diversity, both through antigenic drift and shift, which makes development of a vaccine challenging. Current influenza vaccines are updated yearly to in- clude strains predicted to circulate in the upcoming influenza season, however this can lead to a mismatch which reduces vaccine efficacy. Several strategies targeting the most abundant and im- munogenic surface protein of influenza, the hemagglutinin (HA) protein, have been explored. These strategies include stalk-directed, consensus-based, and computationally derived HA immunogens. In this review, we explore vaccine strategies which utilize novel antigen design of the HA protein to improve cross-reactive immunity for development …

Zika Virus Infection Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress And Apoptosis In Placental Trophoblasts, Philma Glora Muthuraj, Prakask K. Sahoo, Madison Kraus, Taylor Bruett, Arun S. Annamalai, Aryamav Pattnaik, Asit K. Pattnaik, Siddappa N. Byrareddy, Sathish Kumar Natarajan

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection to a pregnant woman can be vertically transmitted to the fetus via the placenta leading to Congenital Zika syndrome. This is characterized by microcephaly, retinal defects, and intrauterine growth retardation. ZIKV induces placental trophoblast apoptosis leading to severe abnormalities in the growth and development of the fetus. However, the molecular mechanism behind ZIKV-induced apoptosis in placental trophoblasts remains unclear. We hypothesize that ZIKV infection induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the trophoblasts, and sustained ER stress results in apoptosis. HTR-8 (HTR-8/SVneo), a human normal immortalized trophoblast cell and human choriocarcinoma-derived cell lines (JEG-3 and JAR) were …

Of Pigs And Men: The Best-Laid Plans For Prevention And Control Of Swine Fevers, Jishu Shi, Lihua Wang, David Scott Mcvey

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

John Steinbeck drew the title of his novel “Of Mice and Men” from a line in a Robert Burns poem “To a mouse”: “The best-laid plans of mice and men/Go often awry.” Unlike John Steinbeck who used the title to mirror the characters who were struggling during the Great Depression to the mouse whose nest was accidentally destroyed by the poet (Burns 1785), we chose this line to emphasize that the best-laid plan can go wrong in infectious disease control and prevention. Here, we will discuss the contributing factors behind the global successes and failures in the prevention and control …

Special Issue: Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli, Rodney A. Moxley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Globally, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important cause of diarrheal disease, most notably hemorrhagic colitis, and post-diarrheal sequela, such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) [1]. Cattle are a major reservoir of STEC, with approx- imately half of the cases in humans attributable to foodborne exposure [2]. Prevention of human illness has mainly been through food safety measures [2]. Despite extensive research, no other generally accepted and effective preventive measures or therapies for STEC infections in human patients are available [3]. Many questions remain about STEC virulence factors, pathogenesis, detection, and other aspects that necessitate a continua- tion of basic …

Inhibition Of Zika Virus Replication By G-Quadruplex-Binding Ligands, Prativa Majee, Aryamav Pattnaik, Bikash R. Sahoo, Uma Shankar, Asit K. Pattnaik, Amit Kumar, Debasis Nayak

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-transmitted Flavivirus, emerged in the last decade causing serious diseases and affecting human health globally. Currently, no licensed vaccines or antivirals are available to combat ZIKV, although several vaccine candidates are in the pipeline. In recent years, the presence of non-canon- ical G-quadruplex (GQ) secondary structures in viral genomes has ignited significant attention as potential targets for anti- viral strategy. In this study, we identified several novel conserved potential GQ structures by analyzing published ZIKV genome sequences using an in-house algorithm. Bio- physical and biochemical analysis of the RNA sequences con- taining these potential GQ sequences …

Correction: Moxley, R.A., Et Al. Intimate Attachment Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 To Urinary Bladder Epithelium In The Gnotobiotic Piglet Model. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 263, Rodney A. Moxley, Tom W. Bargar, Stephen D. Kachman, Diane R. Baker, David Francis

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: On page 2, the sentence that reads, “Hence, EHEC is a rare but established cause of HUS in children and adults.” should read, “Hence, EHEC is a rare but established cause of UTI-associated HUS in children and adults.” On page 4, the sentence that reads, “As noted previously, 14 of 126 (13.3%) piglets orally inoculated with EHEC O157:H7 strains developed mild to moderate purulent cystitis within 8 d PI [25] (Table 1).” should read, “As noted previously, 14 of 105 (13.3%) piglets orally inoculated with EHEC O157:H7 strains …

The Role Of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells In Liver Malady Homeostasis, Fatima Cabral

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Current literature described techniques for the purification of liver cell types through text alone. The techniques described for the isolation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells as well as hepatocytes described here are modified from a published article in the Journal of Visualized experiments. The video protocol allows for the user to successfully isolate cells as the most difficult parts of the procedure are demonstrated visually. The detection of liver maladies such as the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the stage if this disease and differentiation between non-alcoholic and alcoholic fatty liver disease is demonstrated in the development of a unique panel …

A Functional K+ Channel From Tetraselmis Virus 1, A Member Of The Mimiviridae, Kerri Kukovetz, Brigitte Hertel, Christopher R. Schvarcz, Andrea Saponaro, Mirja Manthey, Ulrike Burk, Timo Greiner, Grieg F. Steward, James L. Van Etten, Anna Moroni, Gerhard Thiel, Oliver Rauh

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Potassium ion (K+) channels have been observed in diverse viruses that infect eukaryotic marine and freshwater algae. However, experimental evidence for functional K+ channels among these alga-infecting viruses has thus far been restricted to members of the family Phycodnaviridae, which are large, double-stranded DNA viruses within the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. Recent sequencing projects revealed that alga-infecting members of Mimiviridae, another family within this phylum, may also contain genes encoding K+ channels. Here we examine the structural features and the functional properties of putative K+ channels from four cultivated members of Mimiviridae. While all four proteins contain variations …

Epstein Barr Virus-Immortalizedｂlymphocytes Exacerbate Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis In Xenograft Mice, Pascal Polepole, Alison Bartenslager, Yutong Liu, Thomas M. Petro, Samodha C. Fernando, Luwen Zhang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disorder affecting the central nervous system. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a causative agent for infectious mononucleosis (IM) that is associated with MS pathogenesis. However, the exact mechanism by which EBV, specifically in IM, increases the risk for MS remains unknown. EBV immortalizes primary B lymphocytes in vitro and causes excessive B lymphocyte proliferation in IM in vivo. In asymptomatic carriers, EBV-infected B lymphocytes still proliferate to certain degrees, the process of which is tightly controlled by the host immune systems. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mimics key features of MS in humans …

Structure, Function And Metabolism Of Hepatic And Adipose Tissue Lipid Droplets: Implications In Alcoholic Liver Disease, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Karuna Rasineni, Murali Ganesan, Dan Feng, Benita L. Mcvicker, Mark A. Mcniven, Natalia A. Osna, Justin L. Mott, Carol A. Casey, Kusum K. Kharbanda

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

For more than 30 years, lipid droplets (LDs) were considered as an inert bag of lipid for storage of energy-rich fat molecules. Following a paradigm shift almost a decade ago, LDs are presently considered an active subcellular organelle especially designed for assembling, storing and subsequently supplying lipids for generating energy and membrane synthesis (and in the case of hepatocytes for VLDL secretion). LDs also play a central role in many other cellular functions such as viral assembly and protein degradation. Here, we have explored the structural and functional changes that occur in hepatic and adipose tissue LDs following chronic ethanol …

Elucidating The Regulon Of A Fur-Like Protein In Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis (Map), Fernanda Miyagaki Shoyama, Taveesak Janetanakit, John P. Bannantine, Raul G. Barletta, Srinand Sreevatsan

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Intracellular iron concentration is tightly regulated to maintain cell viability. Iron plays important roles in electron transport, nucleic acid synthesis, and oxidative stress. A Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP)-specific genomic island carries a putative metal transport operon that includes MAP3773c, which encodes a Fur-like protein. Although well characterized as a global regulator of iron homeostasis in multiple bacteria, the function of Fur (ferric uptake regulator) in MAP is unknown as this organism also carries IdeR (iron dependent regulator), a native iron regulatory protein specific to mycobacteria. Computational analysis using PRODORIC identified 23 different pathways involved in respiration, metabolism, and virulence …

Dgts Production As A Phosphate Starvation Response In The Human Fungal Pathogen Candida Albicans, Caleb J. Wehling

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Betaine lipids are a class of membrane lipids with betaine head groups. Three betaine lipids are known: diacylglyceryltrimethylhomoserine (DGTS), diacylglycerylhydroxymethylalanine (DGTA), and diacylglycerylcarboxymethylcholine (DGCC). Betaine lipids are most common in algae, although DGTS, the most common betaine lipid, is also found in many bacteria and fungi. Organisms which produce betaine lipids (especially DGTS) often don’t produce phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho), and DGTS structure resembles PtdCho structure without any phosphorous, leading to the hypothesis that betaine lipids may substitute for phospholipids in some organisms. This has been confirmed by discoveries that some organisms are capable of switching their membrane composition from PtdCho to …

Characterization Of A Species E Adenovirus Vector As A Zika Virus Vaccine, Brianna L. Bullard, Brigette N. Corder, David N. Gordon, Theodore C. Pierson, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The development of a safe and efficacious Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine remains a global health priority. In our previous work, we developed an Adenovirus vectored ZIKV vaccine using a low-seroprevalent human Adenovirus type 4 (Ad4-prM-E) and compared it to an Ad5 vector (Ad5-prM-E). We found that vaccination with Ad4-prM-E leads to the development of a strong anti-ZIKV T-cell response without eliciting significant anti-ZIKV antibodies, while vaccination with Ad5-prM-E leads to the development of both anti-ZIKV antibody and T-cell responses in C57BL/6 mice. However, both vectors conferred protection against ZIKV infection in a lethal challenge model. Here we continued to characterize …

Differentiation Of Mannheimia Haemolytica Genotype 1 And 2 Strains By Visible Phenotypic Characteristics On Solid Media, Emily L. Wynn, Gennie Schuller, John D. Loy, Aspen M. Workman, T. G. Mcdaneld, Michael L. Clawson

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Genotype 2 Mannheimia haemolytica associate with the lungs of cattle with bovine respiratory disease more frequently than genotype 1 strains. Different colony colors and morphologies were identified between genotype 1 and 2 solid media cultures. Genotype of strains, and frequency differences between them in mixed cultures are discernable by visual inspection.

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Perivascular Macrophages In The Neonatal Macaque Brain Undergo Massive Necroptosis After Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, Diana G. Bohannon, Yueying Wang, Colin H. Reinhart, Julian B. Hattler, Jiangtao Luo, Hamid R. Okhravi, Jianshui Zhang, Qingsheng Li, Marcelo J. Kuroda, Woong-Ki Kim

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

We previously showed that rhesus macaques neonatally infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) do not develop SIV encephalitis (SIVE) and maintain low brain viral loads despite having similar plasma viral loads compared to SIV-infected adults. We hypothesize that differences in myeloid cell populations that are the known target of SIV and HIV in the brain contribute to the lack of neonatal susceptibility to lentivirus-induced encephalitis. Using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence microscopy, we examined the frontal cortices from uninfected and SIV-infected infant and adult macaques (n = 8/ea) as well as adults with SIVE (n = 4) to determine differences in myeloid …

Characterization Of A Speciese Adenovirus Vector As A Zika Virus Vaccine, Brianna L. Bullard, Brigette N. Corder, David N. Gordon, Theodore C. Pierson, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The development of a safe and efficacious Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine remains a global health priority. In our previous work, we developed an Adenovirus vectored ZIKV vaccine using a low-seroprevalent human Adenovirus type 4 (Ad4-prM-E) and compared it to an Ad5 vector (Ad5-prM-E). We found that vaccination with Ad4-prM-E leads to the development of a strong anti-ZIKV T-cell response without eliciting significant anti-ZIKV antibodies, while vaccination with Ad5-prM-E leads to the development of both anti-ZIKV antibody and T-cell responses in C57BL/6 mice. However, both vectors conferred protection against ZIKV infection in a lethal challenge model. Here we continued to characterize …

Evaluation Of Antibody Response Directed Against Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Structural Proteins, Hung Q. Luong, Huong T.L. Lai, Hiep L.X. Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Luciferase-immunoprecipitation system (LIPS), a liquid phase immunoassay, was used to evaluate antibody responses directed against the structural proteins of PRRSV in pigs that were experimentally infected with virulent PRRSV strains. First, the viral N protein was used as a model antigen to validate the assay. The LIPS results were highly comparable to that of the commercial IDEXX PRRS X3 ELISA. Subsequently, the assay was applied to simultaneously measure antibody reactivity against all eight structural proteins of PRRSV. The highest immunoreactivities were detected against GP3, M, and N proteins while the lowest reactivity was detected against ORF5a protein. Comparative analysis of …

Analysis Of Student Perceptions Of Just-In-Time Teaching Pedagogy In Pharmd Microbiology And Immunology Courses, Charitha Madiraju, Eglis Tellez-Corrales, Henry Hua, Jozef Stec, Andromeda M. Nauli, Deborah M. Brown

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Just-In-Time Teaching (JiTT) active learning pedagogy is utilized by various disciplines, but its value in a professional pharmacy curriculum has not yet been demonstrated. The purpose of our research study is to implement and evaluate JiTT in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. The impetus in implementing JiTT into a PharmD curriculum was to provide students with an out-of-classroom learning opportunity to enhance knowledge-based skills. The current study summarizes the implementation of JiTT in four distinct instances: two iterations of the required courses “Integrated Microbiology and Virology” (Fall 2016 and Fall 2017) and “Integrated Immunology” (Winter 2016–2017 and Winter 2017–2018). …

Lack Of Cd8+ T-Cell Co-Localization With Kaposi’S Sarcoma- Associated Herpesvirus Infected Cells In Kaposi’S Sarcoma Tumors, Salum J. Lidenge, For Yue Tso, Owen Ngalamika, Jaydeep Kolape, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Charles Wood, John T. West

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Despite the close association between Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and immune dysfunction, it remains unclear whether tumor infiltrating immune cells (TIIC), by their absence, presence, or dysfunction, are mechanistically correlated with KS pathogenesis. Therefore, their potential capacity to serve as prognostic biomarkers of KS disease progression or control is unclear. Because epidemic-KS (EpKS) occurs with HIV-1 co-infection, it is particularly important to compare TIIC between EpKS and HIV-negative African endemic-KS (EnKS) to dissect the roles of HIV-1 and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in KS pathogenesis. This cross-sectional study of 13 advanced KS (4 EnKS, 9 EpKS) patients and 3 healthy controls …

Prevalence Of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus And Transfusion-Transmissible Infections In Tanzanian Blood Donors, Salum J. Lidenge, Tara Tran, For Yue Tso, John R. Ngowi, Danielle M. Shea, Julius Mwaiselage, Charles Wood, John T. West

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), one of the most common cancers in Tanzania. We have investigated KSHV prevalence and factors associated with KSHV infection in Tanzania.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of voluntary blood-donors from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Plasma was screened for KSHV, HIV-1, HBV, HCV and Treponema pallidum (syphilis). Associations between KSHV sero-status and risk factors were analyzed. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported to evaluate risk factors of KSHV infection. All tests were 2-tailed, and P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: The overall KSHV seroprevalence was 56.9%. Significantly …

Incidence Of The Covid-19 In Iraq – Implications For Travellers, Maysaa Kadhim Al-Malkey, Maitham Ahmed Al-Sammak

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The first emerged Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China at the end of 2019, then spread to the rest of China [1], followed by the spread of the COVID-19 epidemics into the world caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [2]. Many epidemiological assessments in different countries from Asia, Europe, and North America have been published [3]. Nevertheless, there are countries in the Middle East like Iraq, with a rapid increase in cases and a high number of deaths, with a lack of studies. It is worth noting that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry was …

Cervico-Vaginal Inflammatory Cytokine And Chemokine Responses To Two Different Siv Immunogens, Nikki P.L. Toledo, Hongzhao Li, Robert W. Omange, Tamara G. Dacoba, Jose Crecente-Campo, Dane Schalk, Mohammad A. Kashem, Eva Rakasz, Nancy Schultz-Darken, Qingsheng Li, James B. Whitney, Maria J. Alonso, Francis A. Plummer, Ma Luo

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Studies have shown that vaccine vectors and route of immunization can differentially activate different arms of the immune system. However, the effects of different HIV vaccine immunogens on mucosal inflammation have not yet been studied. Because mucosal sites are the primary route of HIV infection, we evaluated the cervico-vaginal inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques following immunization and boost using two different SIV vaccine immunogens. The PCS vaccine delivers 12 20-amino acid peptides overlapping the 12 protease cleavage sites, and the Gag/Env vaccine delivers the full Gag and full Env proteins of simian immunodeficiency virus. We showed …

Genetic Diversity Of Potassium Ion Channel Proteins Encoded By Chloroviruses That Infect Chlorella Heliozoae, Carter Murry, Irina V. Agarkova, Jayadri S. Ghosh, Fiona C. Fitzgerald, Roger M. Carlson, Brigitte Hertel, Kerri Kukovetz, Oliver Rauh, Gerhard Thiel, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Chloroviruses are large, plaque-forming, dsDNA viruses that infect chlorella-like green algae that live in a symbiotic relationship with protists. Chloroviruses have genomes from 290 to 370 kb, and they encode as many as 400 proteins. One interesting feature of chloroviruses is that they encode a potassium ion (K+) channel protein named Kcv. The Kcv protein encoded by SAG chlorovirus ATCV-1 is one of the smallest known functional K+ channel proteins consisting of 82 amino acids. The KcvATCV-1 protein has similarities to the family of two transmembrane domain K+ channel proteins; it consists of two transmembrane -helixes with a pore region …

Viral And Immunological Analytes Are Poor Predictors Of The Clinical Treatment Response In Kaposi’S Sarcoma Patients, Salum J. Lidenge, For Yue Tso, Yasaman Mortazavi, John R. Ngowi, Danielle M. Shea, Julius Mwaiselage, Charles Wood, John T. West

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). The prognostic utility of KSHV and HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) viremia as well as immunological parameters in clinical management of participants with KS is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate viral and immunological parameters as predictors of KS treatment responses in participants with KS from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Plasma KSHV-DNA, HIV-1 viral load, total anti-KSHV antibody, KSHV-neutralizing antibody (nAb), cytokine/chemokine levels, and T-cell differentiation subsets were quantified before and after KS treatment in 13 participants with KS and in 13 KSHV-infected asymptomatic control individuals. …

Non-Naturally Occurring Porcine Reproduction And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) And Methods Of Using, Hiep Lai Xuan Vu, Fernando Osorio, William W. Laegreid, Asit K. Pattnaik, Fangrui Ma

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

A non-naturally occuring porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is provided herein, and methods of making and using the non-naturally occurring PRRSV also are provided.

Diversity Of Trna Clusters In The Chloroviruses, Garry A. Duncan, David D. Dunigan Ph. D., James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Viruses rely on their host’s translation machinery for the synthesis of their own proteins. Problems belie viral translation when the host has a codon usage bias (CUB) that is different from an infecting virus due to differences in the GC content between the host and virus genomes. Here, we examine the hypothesis that chloroviruses adapted to host CUB by acquisition and selection of tRNAs that at least partially favor their own CUB. The genomes of 41 chloroviruses comprising three clades, each infecting a different algal host, have been sequenced, assembled and annotated. All 41 viruses not only encode tRNAs, but …