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Full-Text Articles in Virology

Development And Evaluation Of Lipid Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Dna Vaccines For Avian Influenza In Chickens, Sushmita Kumari Feb 2026

Development And Evaluation Of Lipid Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Dna Vaccines For Avian Influenza In Chickens, Sushmita Kumari

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Avian influenza virus (AIV) remains a major challenge for global poultry health, food production, and agricultural economies. Both low-pathogenic (LPAIV) and highly pathogenic (HPAIV) strains continue to circulate and evolve, creating an ongoing need for vaccines that can be updated quickly and provide broad protection. Although DNA vaccines offer a safe and flexible approach to rapidly incorporate new antigens, their use in poultry has been limited by poor delivery efficiency and the vulnerability of naked DNA to degradation. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which have proven highly effective for mRNA delivery, offer a promising solution, yet their potential for DNA delivery in …


Novel Chloroviruses With Unique Glycans On Their Major Capsid Proteins, Cayden J. Homolka May 2025

Novel Chloroviruses With Unique Glycans On Their Major Capsid Proteins, Cayden J. Homolka

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Chloroviruses, of the family Phycodnaviridae, are large, dsDNA viruses with a genome of 290 to 410 kb. These virus genomes are so large that they are classified as “giant viruses”. Within this genome, up to 16 tRNAs and 330 to 450 proteins are encoded. Among the massive amounts of genes and proteins are unique carbohydrate synthesis/metabolism genes, which are responsible for the glycosylation of chloroviruses major capsid proteins. In most viruses, these proteins are glycosylated by the host enzymes located in the endoplasmic reticulum. Instead, Chloroviruses encode their own glycosylation machinery; essentially decorating themselves. Furthermore, these chlorovirus glycans are unlike …


Induced Mutagenesis In West Nile Virus Non-Structural Protein 3 With A Discussion Of The Mutation's Effects On Viral Properties, Caden Connealy Mar 2025

Induced Mutagenesis In West Nile Virus Non-Structural Protein 3 With A Discussion Of The Mutation's Effects On Viral Properties, Caden Connealy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

West Nile Virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family and introduced to the Western hemisphere in 1999, presents a unique and emerging threat to human health. Infection in humans is often mild but can occasionally result in severe neurological impairment and even death. West Nile Virus non-structural protein 3 (NS3) plays an important role in the process of viral genome amplification. More specifically, the C-terminal domain of the protein folds into a helicase enzyme, which is responsible for the “unwinding” of double-stranded RNA intermediates and RNA secondary structure on the WNV genome. This is a vitally important step in …


Complete Genome Sequence Of An Indian Outbreak Strain Of Chikungunya Virus, Eshna Laha, Deepak Jena, Viplov K. Biswas, Sharad Singh, Sunil K. Raghav, Asit K. Pattnaik, Soma Chattopadhyay Sep 2024

Complete Genome Sequence Of An Indian Outbreak Strain Of Chikungunya Virus, Eshna Laha, Deepak Jena, Viplov K. Biswas, Sharad Singh, Sunil K. Raghav, Asit K. Pattnaik, Soma Chattopadhyay

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of an Indian strain of chikungunya virus isolated from an infected patient from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, during a massive outbreak in 2005–2006. The genome length spans 11,811 nucleotides and has a poly(A) tail of 29 residues at the 3′ end.


Protein Nanoparticles As Vaccine Platforms For Human And Zoonotic Viruses, Kush Kumar Pandey, Bikash R. Sahoo, Asit K. Pattnaik Jun 2024

Protein Nanoparticles As Vaccine Platforms For Human And Zoonotic Viruses, Kush Kumar Pandey, Bikash R. Sahoo, Asit K. Pattnaik

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Vaccines are one of the most effective medical interventions, playing a pivotal role in treating infectious diseases. Although traditional vaccines comprise killed, inactivated, or liveattenuated pathogens that have resulted in protective immune responses, the negative consequences of their administration have been well appreciated. Modern vaccines have evolved to contain purified antigenic subunits, epitopes, or antigen-encoding mRNAs, rendering them relatively safe. However, reduced humoral and cellular responses pose major challenges to these subunit vaccines. Protein nanoparticle (PNP)-based vaccines have garnered substantial interest in recent years for their ability to present a repetitive array of antigens for improving immunogenicity and enhancing protective …


Swine Influenza A Virus: Challenges And Novel Vaccine Strategies, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver Apr 2024

Swine Influenza A Virus: Challenges And Novel Vaccine Strategies, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Swine Influenza A Virus (IAV-S) imposes a significant impact on the pork industry and has been deemed a significant threat to global public health due to its zoonotic potential. The most effective method of preventing IAV-S is vaccination. While there are tremendous efforts to control and prevent IAV-S in vulnerable swine populations, there are considerable challenges in developing a broadly protective vaccine against IAV-S. These challenges include the consistent diversification of IAV-S, increasing the strength and breadth of adaptive immune responses elicited by vaccination, interfering maternal antibody responses, and the induction of vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease after vaccination. Current vaccination …


Multivalent Epigraph Hemagglutinin Vaccine Protects Against Influenza B Virus In Mice, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Brigette Corder Kampfe, Amber Gadeken, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver Jan 2024

Multivalent Epigraph Hemagglutinin Vaccine Protects Against Influenza B Virus In Mice, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Brigette Corder Kampfe, Amber Gadeken, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Influenza B virus is a respiratory pathogen that contributes to seasonal epidemics, accounts for approximately 25% of global influenza infections, and can induce severe disease in young children. While vaccination is the most commonly used method of preventing influenza infections, current vaccines only induce strain-specific responses and have suboptimal efficacy when mismatched from circulating strains. Further, two influenza B virus lineages have been described, B/Yamagatalike and B/Victoria-like, and the limited cross-reactivity between the two lineages provides an additional barrier in developing a universal influenza B virus vaccine. Here, we report a novel multivalent vaccine using computationally designed Epigraph hemagglutinin proteins …


Lactic Acid Bacterial Surface Display Of Scytovirin Inhibitors For Anti-Ebolavirus Infection, Joshua Wiggins, Ngan Nguyen, Wenzhong Wei, Leah Liu Wang, Haley Hollingsead Olson, Shi-Hua Xiang Nov 2023

Lactic Acid Bacterial Surface Display Of Scytovirin Inhibitors For Anti-Ebolavirus Infection, Joshua Wiggins, Ngan Nguyen, Wenzhong Wei, Leah Liu Wang, Haley Hollingsead Olson, Shi-Hua Xiang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Scytovirin (SVN) is a lectin from cyanobacteria which has a strong inhibitory activity against Ebola virus infection. We engineered scytovirin as the inhibitor for surface display of lactic acid bacteria to block Ebola virus infection. Two different bacterial strains (Lactobacillus casei and Lactococcus lactis) were successfully engineered for scytovirin expression on the bacterial surface. These bacteria were found to be effective at neutralizing pseudotyped Ebolavirus in a cell-based assay. This approach can be utilized for prophylactic prevention, as well as for treatment. Since lactic acid bacteria can colonize the human body, a long-term efficacy could be achieved. Furthermore, …


Comparative Analysis Of Swine Antibody Responses Following Vaccination With Live-Attenuated And Killed African Swine Fever Virus Vaccines, Hung Q. Luong, Huong T. L. Lai, Lam Q. Truong, The N. Nguyen, Hanh D. Vu, Hoa T. Nguyen, Lan T. Nguyen, Trang H. Pham, David Scott Mcvey, Hiep Vu Nov 2023

Comparative Analysis Of Swine Antibody Responses Following Vaccination With Live-Attenuated And Killed African Swine Fever Virus Vaccines, Hung Q. Luong, Huong T. L. Lai, Lam Q. Truong, The N. Nguyen, Hanh D. Vu, Hoa T. Nguyen, Lan T. Nguyen, Trang H. Pham, David Scott Mcvey, Hiep Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is circulating in many swine-producing countries, causing significant economic losses. It is observed that pigs experimentally vaccinated with a live-attenuated virus (LAV) but not a killed virus (KV) vaccine develop solid homologous protective immunity. The objective of this study was to comparatively analyze antibody profiles between pigs vaccinated with an LAV vaccine and those vaccinated with a KV vaccine to identify potential markers of vaccineinduced protection. Thirty ASFV seronegative pigs were divided into three groups: Group 1 received a single dose of an experimental LAV, Group 2 received two doses of an experimental KV vaccine, …


Cell Surface And Plasma Biomarkers Of Kaposi Sarcoma, Sara R. Privatt Nov 2023

Cell Surface And Plasma Biomarkers Of Kaposi Sarcoma, Sara R. Privatt

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is the etiological agent of several pathologies including Kaposi sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman’s disease. Here, we investigated both the tumor microenvironment (TME) in KS lesions as well as plasma from KSHV-infected individuals and how metabolic dysfunction and dysregulated cytokines might have a systemic effect on KS tumorigenesis. Based on previously published KS tumor transcriptomics, one aspect of our investigation involved characterizing cell surface glycoproteins with potential to serve as therapeutic targets against KSHV-infected cells or KS tumors or as biomarkers for disease. Expression patterns of such markers may also suggest the cellular origin of …


Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques With Aids Co-Develop Cardiovascular Pathology And Encephalitis, Kevin S. White, Joshua A. Walker, John Wang, Patrick Autissier, Andrew D. Miller, Nadia N. Abuelezan, Rachel Burrack, Qingsheng Li, Woong-Ki Kim, Kenneth C. Williams Oct 2023

Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques With Aids Co-Develop Cardiovascular Pathology And Encephalitis, Kevin S. White, Joshua A. Walker, John Wang, Patrick Autissier, Andrew D. Miller, Nadia N. Abuelezan, Rachel Burrack, Qingsheng Li, Woong-Ki Kim, Kenneth C. Williams

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy, HIV co-morbidities remain where central nervous system (CNS) neurocognitive disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-pathology that are linked with myeloid activation are most prevalent. Comorbidities such as neurocogntive dysfunction and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain prevalent among people living with HIV. We sought to investigate if cardiac pathology (inflammation, fibrosis, cardiomyocyte damage) and CNS pathology (encephalitis) develop together during simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection and if their co-development is linked with monocyte/ macrophage activation. We used a cohort of SIV-infected rhesus macaques with rapid AIDS and demonstrated that SIV encephalitis (SIVE) and CVD pathology occur together more frequently …


Co-Infection And Co-Localization Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus And Epstein-Barr Virus In Hiv-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma: A Case Report, Peter Julius, Guobin Guobin, Stepfanie Siyumbwa, Jane Musumali, For Yue Tso, Owen Ngalamika, Trevor Kaile, Fred Maate, Phyllis Moonga, John T. West, Peter Angeletti, Charles Wood Oct 2023

Co-Infection And Co-Localization Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus And Epstein-Barr Virus In Hiv-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma: A Case Report, Peter Julius, Guobin Guobin, Stepfanie Siyumbwa, Jane Musumali, For Yue Tso, Owen Ngalamika, Trevor Kaile, Fred Maate, Phyllis Moonga, John T. West, Peter Angeletti, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a multifocal vascular neoplasm frequently observed in HIVpositive individuals, primarily affects the skin, mucous membranes, visceral organs, and lymph nodes. KS is associated primarily with Kaposi sarcomaassociated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection. In this case report, we present a rare occurrence of co-infection and co-localization of KSHV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in KS arising from the conjunctiva, which, to our knowledge, has not been reported previously. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and EBV-encoded RNA in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH) were utilized to demonstrate the presence of KSHV and EBV infection in the ocular KS lesion. Nearly all KSHV-positive …


A Single-Dose Intramuscular Immunization Of Pigs With Lipid Nanoparticle Dna Vaccines Based On The Hemagglutinin Antigen Confers Complete Protection Against Challenge Infection With The Homologous Influenza Virus Strain, The N. Nguyen, Sushmita Kumari, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Danh C. Lai, Hiep Vu Oct 2023

A Single-Dose Intramuscular Immunization Of Pigs With Lipid Nanoparticle Dna Vaccines Based On The Hemagglutinin Antigen Confers Complete Protection Against Challenge Infection With The Homologous Influenza Virus Strain, The N. Nguyen, Sushmita Kumari, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Danh C. Lai, Hiep Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The Influenza A virus of swine (IAV-S) is highly prevalent and causes significant economic losses to swine producers. Due to the highly variable and rapidly evolving nature of the virus, it is critical to develop a safe and versatile vaccine platform that allows for frequent updates of the vaccine immunogens to cope with the emergence of new viral strains. The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as nanocarriers for delivering DNA plasmid encoding the viral hemagglutinin (HA) gene in pigs. The intramuscular administration of a single dose of the LNP-DNA vaccines …


Predicted Structure And Analysis Of The Glycoprotein From Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Interest, Boris Shabaltiy Oct 2023

Predicted Structure And Analysis Of The Glycoprotein From Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Interest, Boris Shabaltiy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

SARS-CoV-2 has had a devastating effect on the world, and while the public concern and severity of the diseased caused by it have decreased, it is still crucial to monitor the virus for mutations so we can rapidly identify new variants of concern, and then rapidly prepare new vaccines and treatments. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein from the first isolates of the virus (root variant) was structurally characterized in early 2021. The spike protein structure, designated 7CZW, was uploaded to RCSB Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB). All subsequent mutations the S protein has accumulated are based on the amino acid …


Existing Evidence For Influenza B Virus Adaptations To Drive Replication In Humans As The Primary Host, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver Sep 2023

Existing Evidence For Influenza B Virus Adaptations To Drive Replication In Humans As The Primary Host, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Influenza B virus (IBV) is one of the two major types of influenza viruses that circulate each year. Unlike influenza A viruses, IBV does not harbor pandemic potential due to its lack of historical circulation in non-human hosts. Many studies and reviews have highlighted important factors for host determination of influenza A viruses. However, much less is known about the factors driving IBV replication in humans. We hypothesize that similar factors influence the host restriction of IBV. Here, we compile and review the current understanding of host factors crucial for the various stages of the IBV viral replication cycle. While …


Investigating The Physiological Mechanisms Between Resistance Training And Pain Relief In The Cancer Population: A Literature Review, Yvonne Jiang, Peter C. Angeletti, Amy J. Hoffman Jul 2023

Investigating The Physiological Mechanisms Between Resistance Training And Pain Relief In The Cancer Population: A Literature Review, Yvonne Jiang, Peter C. Angeletti, Amy J. Hoffman

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

This literature review examines the mechanisms of how exercise, specifically in the form of resistance training, may lead to pain relief in the cancer population. Primary data from three different cancer populations: breast, prostate, and lung, will be examined. A number of experimental studies have been conducted to confirm the effectiveness of resistance training on pain relief as well as the biochemical pathways that relate to this process. In this review, we will examine 5 randomized controlled trials. For the purposes of this review, pain is defined as physical suffering or discomfort associated with illness. Pain is the body’s natural …


Exploring The Interactions Between Sars-Cov-2 And Host Proteins, Sojan Shrestha Jul 2023

Exploring The Interactions Between Sars-Cov-2 And Host Proteins, Sojan Shrestha

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

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the current pandemic, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 is considered to be of zoonotic origin; it originated in non-human animals and was transmitted to humans. Since the early stage of the pandemic, however, the evidence of transmissions from humans to animals (reverse zoonoses) has been found in multiple animal species including mink, white-tailed deer, and pet and zoo animals. Furthermore, secondary zoonotic events of SARS-CoV-2, transmissions from animals to humans, have been also reported. It is suggested that non-human hosts can act as SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs where accumulated …


Sars‑Cov‑2 Entry Into And Evolution Within A Skilled Nursing Facility, Nicole R. Sexton, Parker Parker Cline, Emily N. Gallichotte, Emily Fitzmeyer, Michael C. Young, Ashley J. Janich, Kristy L. Pabilonia, Nicole Ehrhart, Gregory D. Ebel Jul 2023

Sars‑Cov‑2 Entry Into And Evolution Within A Skilled Nursing Facility, Nicole R. Sexton, Parker Parker Cline, Emily N. Gallichotte, Emily Fitzmeyer, Michael C. Young, Ashley J. Janich, Kristy L. Pabilonia, Nicole Ehrhart, Gregory D. Ebel

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the family Coronaviridae which includes multiple human pathogens that have an outsized impact on aging populations. As a novel human pathogen, SARS-CoV-2 is undergoing continuous adaptation to this new host species and there is evidence of this throughout the scientific and public literature. However, most investigations of SARS-CoV-2 evolution have focused on largescale collections of data across diverse populations and/or living environments. Here we investigate SARS-CoV-2 evolution in epidemiologically linked individuals within a single outbreak at a skilled nursing facility beginning with initial introduction of the pathogen. The data demonstrate that SARSCoV- 2 was introduced to the …


Yes-Associated Protein-1 Overexpression In Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia; A Potential Diagnostic Marker And Therapeutic Target, Peter Julius, Stepfanie N. Siyumbwa, Fred Maate, Phyllis Moonga, Guobin Kang, Trevor Kaile, John T. T., Charles Wood Jul 2023

Yes-Associated Protein-1 Overexpression In Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia; A Potential Diagnostic Marker And Therapeutic Target, Peter Julius, Stepfanie N. Siyumbwa, Fred Maate, Phyllis Moonga, Guobin Kang, Trevor Kaile, John T. T., Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Yes-associated protein-1 (YAP-1) is a Hippo system transcription factor, which serves as an oncogene in squamous cell carcinoma, and several solid tumors when the Hippo pathway is dysregulated. Yet, the activity of YAP-1 in ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) has not been determined. Here, we investigate the relationship between YAP-1 overexpression and OSSN. Using a cross-sectional study design, we recruited 227 OSSN patients from the University Teaching Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess YAP-1 protein overexpression in tumor tissue relative to surrounding benign squamous epithelium. OSSN patient samples (preinvasive, n = 62, 27% and invasive, n = …


Viral Dna Accumulation Regulates Replication Efficiency Of Chlorovirus Osy-Ne5 In Two Closely Related Chlorella Variabilis Strains, Ahmed Esmael, Irina V. Agarkova, David D. Dunigan, You Zhou, James L. Van Etten Jun 2023

Viral Dna Accumulation Regulates Replication Efficiency Of Chlorovirus Osy-Ne5 In Two Closely Related Chlorella Variabilis Strains, Ahmed Esmael, Irina V. Agarkova, David D. Dunigan, You Zhou, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Many chloroviruses replicate in Chlorella variabilis algal strains that are ex-endosymbionts isolated from the protozoan Paramecium bursaria, including the NC64A and Syngen 2-3 strains. We noticed that indigenous water samples produced a higher number of plaque-forming viruses on C. variabilis Syngen 2-3 lawns than on C. variabilis NC64A lawns. These observed differences led to the discovery of viruses that replicate exclusively in Syngen 2-3 cells, named Only Syngen (OSy) viruses. Here, we demonstrate that OSy viruses initiate infection in the restricted host NC64A by synthesizing some early virus gene products and that approximately 20% of the cells produce a …


Influenza C And D Viruses Demonstrated A Differential Respiratory Tissue Tropism In A Comparative Pathogenesis Study In Guinea Pigs, Chithra C. Sreenivasan, Runxia Liu, Rongyuan Gao, Yicheng Guo, Ben M. Hause, Milton Thomas, Ahsan Naveed, Travis Clement, Dana Rausch, Jane Christopher-Hennings, Eric Nelson, Julian Druce, Miaoyun Zhao, Radhey S. Kaushik, Qingsheng Li, Zizhang Sheng, Dan Dan, Feng Li May 2023

Influenza C And D Viruses Demonstrated A Differential Respiratory Tissue Tropism In A Comparative Pathogenesis Study In Guinea Pigs, Chithra C. Sreenivasan, Runxia Liu, Rongyuan Gao, Yicheng Guo, Ben M. Hause, Milton Thomas, Ahsan Naveed, Travis Clement, Dana Rausch, Jane Christopher-Hennings, Eric Nelson, Julian Druce, Miaoyun Zhao, Radhey S. Kaushik, Qingsheng Li, Zizhang Sheng, Dan Dan, Feng Li

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Influenza C virus (ICV) is increasingly associated with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children and its disease severity is worse than the influenza B virus, but similar to influenza A virus associated CAP. Despite the ubiquitous infection landscape of ICV in humans, little is known about its replication and pathobiology in animals. The goal of this study was to understand the replication kinetics, tissue tropism, and pathogenesis of human ICV (huICV) in comparison to the swine influenza D virus (swIDV) in guinea pigs. Intranasal inoculation of both viruses did not cause clinical signs, however, the infected animals shed virus in nasal …


Adenoviral-Vectored Epigraph Vaccine Elicits Robust, Durable, And Protective Immunity Against H3 Influenza A Virus In Swine, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Matthew J. Pekarek, Nicholas Jeanjaquet, Cedric Wooledge, David J. Steffen, Hiep Vu, Eric A. Weaver May 2023

Adenoviral-Vectored Epigraph Vaccine Elicits Robust, Durable, And Protective Immunity Against H3 Influenza A Virus In Swine, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Matthew J. Pekarek, Nicholas Jeanjaquet, Cedric Wooledge, David J. Steffen, Hiep Vu, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Current methods of vaccination against swine Influenza A Virus (IAV-S) in pigs are infrequently updated, induce strain-specific responses, and have a limited duration of protection. Here, we characterize the onset and duration of adaptive immune responses after vaccination with an adenoviral-vectored Epigraph vaccine. In this longitudinal study we observed robust and durable antibody responses that remained above protective titers six months after vaccination. We further identified stable levels of antigen-specific T cell responses that remained detectable in the absence of antigen stimulation. Antibody isotyping revealed robust class switching from IgM to IgG induced by Epigraph vaccination, while the commercial comparator …


The Sars-Cov-2 Utr’S Intrudes Host Rbp’S And Modulates Cellular Splicing, Anjali Singh, Kush Kumar Pandey, Shubham Kumar Agrawal, Rupesh K. Srivastava, Sankar Bhattacharyya, Bhupendra Verma Apr 2023

The Sars-Cov-2 Utr’S Intrudes Host Rbp’S And Modulates Cellular Splicing, Anjali Singh, Kush Kumar Pandey, Shubham Kumar Agrawal, Rupesh K. Srivastava, Sankar Bhattacharyya, Bhupendra Verma

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that causes a potentially fatal respiratory disease known as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and is responsible for the ongoing pandemic with increasing mortality. Understanding the host-virus interaction involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathophysiology will enhance our understanding of the mechanistic basis of COVID-19 infection. The characterization of post-transcriptional gene regulatory networks, particularly pre-mRNA splicing, and the identification and characterization of host proteins interacting with the 5' and 3'UTRs of SARS-CoV-2 will improve our understanding of posttranscriptional gene regulation during SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that either SARS-CoV-2 infection or exogenous overexpression of the 5' and 3’UTRs of the …


Application Of A Novel Lytic Jerseyvirus Phage Lpsent1 For The Biological Control Of The Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Enteritidis In Foods, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Mona G. Alharbi, Ibrahim Alotibi, Sheren A. Azhari, Khloud M. Algothmi, Ahmed Esmael Apr 2023

Application Of A Novel Lytic Jerseyvirus Phage Lpsent1 For The Biological Control Of The Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Enteritidis In Foods, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Mona G. Alharbi, Ibrahim Alotibi, Sheren A. Azhari, Khloud M. Algothmi, Ahmed Esmael

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Non-typhoidal Salmonella is the tremendously predominant source of acquired foodborne infection in humans, causing salmonellosis which is a global threat to the healthcare system. This threat is even worse when it is combined with the incidence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella strains. Bacteriophage therapy has been proposed as a promising potential candidate to control a diversity of foodborne infective bacteria. The objective of this study designed to isolate and characterize lytic phages infecting zoonotic multi-drug resistant and strong biofilm producer Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis EG.SmE1 and then apply the isolated phage/s as a biocontrol agent against infections in ready-to-eat food articles including …


Fresh Produce As A Potential Vector And Reservoir For Human Bacterial Pathogens: Revealing The Ambiguity Of Interaction And Transmission, Ahmed Esmael, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Raed S. Albiheyri, Mona G. Alharbi, Amani A. R. Filimban, Mazen S. Alseghayer, Abdulaziz M. Almaneea, Meshari Ahmed Alhadlaq, Jumaa Ayubu, Addisu D. Teklemariam Mar 2023

Fresh Produce As A Potential Vector And Reservoir For Human Bacterial Pathogens: Revealing The Ambiguity Of Interaction And Transmission, Ahmed Esmael, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Raed S. Albiheyri, Mona G. Alharbi, Amani A. R. Filimban, Mazen S. Alseghayer, Abdulaziz M. Almaneea, Meshari Ahmed Alhadlaq, Jumaa Ayubu, Addisu D. Teklemariam

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The consumer demand for fresh produce (vegetables and fruits) has considerably increased since the 1980s for more nutritious foods and healthier life practices, particularly in developed countries. Currently, several foodborne outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce. The global rise in fresh produce associated with human infections may be due to the use of wastewater or any contaminated water for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, the firm attachment of the foodborne pathogens on the plant surface, and the internalization of these agents deep inside the tissue of the plant, poor disinfection practices and human consumption of raw fresh produce. …


Comparison Of Two Diagnostic Assays For The Detection Of Serum Neutralizing Antibody To Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, Justin Brown, Korakrit Poonsuk, Ting-Yu Cheng, Chris Rademacher, Erin Kalkwarf, Liying Tian, Lauren A. Mckeen, Chong Wang, Luis Gimenez-Lirola, Gimenez-Lirola Baum, Locke A. Karriker Feb 2023

Comparison Of Two Diagnostic Assays For The Detection Of Serum Neutralizing Antibody To Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, Justin Brown, Korakrit Poonsuk, Ting-Yu Cheng, Chris Rademacher, Erin Kalkwarf, Liying Tian, Lauren A. Mckeen, Chong Wang, Luis Gimenez-Lirola, Gimenez-Lirola Baum, Locke A. Karriker

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Lactogenic immunity is important for the protection of piglets against many pathogens including porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. Circulating neutralizing antibodies levels in sow sera may help determine if a detectable immune response could confer protection to piglets. Neutralizing antibodies can be detected through various diagnostic assays. This study evaluated the diagnostic characteristics of two neutralizing antibody assays for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus neutralizing antibodies in serum of challenged gilts. Four treatment groups, control, non-vaccinated, vaccinated prior to challenge, and vaccinated following challenge, were comprised of 20 gilts. Serum sample were collected from each gilt prior to and following challenge with …


Was Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Introduced Into China Via The Ancient Silk Road? An Evolutionary Perspective, Zhenqiu Liu, Qiwen Fang, Jialu Zuo, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood, Na He, Tiejun Zhang Feb 2023

Was Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Introduced Into China Via The Ancient Silk Road? An Evolutionary Perspective, Zhenqiu Liu, Qiwen Fang, Jialu Zuo, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood, Na He, Tiejun Zhang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has become widely dispersed worldwide since it was first reported in 1994, but the seroprevalence of KSHV varies geographically. KSHV is relatively ubiquitous in Mediterranean areas and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The origin of KSHV has long been puzzling. In the present study, we collected and analysed 154 KSHV ORF-K1 sequences obtained from samples originating from Xinjiang, Italy, Greece, Iran and southern Siberia using Bayesian evolutionary analysis in BEAST to test the hypothesis that KSHV was introduced into Xinjiang via the ancient Silk Road. According to the phylogenetic analysis, 72 sequences were subtype A …


Displaying And Delivering Viral Membrane Antigens Via Ww Domain–Activated Extracellular Vesicles, Sengjin Choi, Zhiping Yang, Qiyu Wang, Zhi Qiao, Maoyun Sun, Joshua Wiggins, Shi-Hua Xiang, Quan Lu Jan 2023

Displaying And Delivering Viral Membrane Antigens Via Ww Domain–Activated Extracellular Vesicles, Sengjin Choi, Zhiping Yang, Qiyu Wang, Zhi Qiao, Maoyun Sun, Joshua Wiggins, Shi-Hua Xiang, Quan Lu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Membrane proteins expressed on the surface of enveloped viruses are conformational antigens readily recognized by B cells of the immune system. An effective vaccine would require the synthesis and delivery of these native conformational antigens in lipid membranes that preserve specific epitope structures. We have created an extracellular vesicle–based technology that allows viral membrane antigens to be selectively recruited onto the surface of WW domain–activated extracellular vesicles (WAEVs). Budding of WAEVs requires secretory carrier-associated membrane protein 3, which through its proline-proline-alanine-tyrosine motif interacts with WW domains to recruit fused viral membrane antigens onto WAEVs. Immunization with influenza and HIV viral …


Displaying And Delivering Viral Membrane Antigens Via Ww Domain–Activated Extracellular Vesicles, Sengjin Choi, Zhiping Yang, Qiyu Wang, Zhi Qiao, Maoyun Sun, Joshua Wiggins, Shi-Hua Xiang, Quan Lu Jan 2023

Displaying And Delivering Viral Membrane Antigens Via Ww Domain–Activated Extracellular Vesicles, Sengjin Choi, Zhiping Yang, Qiyu Wang, Zhi Qiao, Maoyun Sun, Joshua Wiggins, Shi-Hua Xiang, Quan Lu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Membrane proteins expressed on the surface of enveloped viruses are conformational antigens readily recognized by B cells of the immune system. An effective vaccine would require the synthesis and delivery of these native conformational antigens in lipid membranes that preserve specific epitope structures. We have created an extracellular vesicle–based technology that allows viral membrane antigens to be selectively recruited onto the surface of WW domain–activated extracellular vesicles (WAEVs). Budding of WAEVs requires secretory carrier-associated membrane protein 3, which through its proline-proline-alanine-tyrosine motif interacts with WW domains to recruit fused viral membrane antigens onto WAEVs. Immunization with influenza and HIV viral …


Early-Phase Drive To The Precursor Pool: Chloroviruses Dive Into The Deep End Of Nucleotide Metabolism, David Dunigan, Irina Agarkova, Ahmed Esmael, Sophie Alvarez, James L. Van Etten Jan 2023

Early-Phase Drive To The Precursor Pool: Chloroviruses Dive Into The Deep End Of Nucleotide Metabolism, David Dunigan, Irina Agarkova, Ahmed Esmael, Sophie Alvarez, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Viruses face many challenges on their road to successful replication, and they meet those challenges by reprogramming the intracellular environment. Two major issues challenging Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1, genus Chlorovirus, family Phycodnaviridae) at the level of DNA replication are (i) the host cell has a DNA G+C content of 66%, while the virus is 40%; and (ii) the initial quantity of DNA in the haploid host cell is approximately 50 fg, yet the virus will make approximately 350 fg of DNA within hours of infection to produce approximately 1000 virions per cell. Thus, the quality and quantity of …