Virology Commons^™

Impact Of The Dose And The Number Of Transmitted/Founder Viruses On Siv Dynamics, Sunil Maity, Vitaly V. Ganusov

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Viral Detection In Anterior Nasal Swabs Versus Nasopharyngeal Swabs In Children, Nicole Neeley, Abby Kietzman, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Dithi Banerjee, Jennifer Goldman, Jennifer Schuster

Research Days

Background: Respiratory viruses are a significant cause of pediatric illness and healthcare utilization. Diagnostic testing for respiratory viruses is generally performed using nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens obtained by trained staff, limiting testing to medical settings. Evaluating additional sampling methods in children that are easier to collect and can be performed outside of medical settings, such as anterior nasal swab (NS) specimens may expand access to diagnostic testing and aid public health surveillance.

Methods: Eligible children hospitalized at Children’s Mercy Hospital who had a standard of care NP specimen collected for respiratory viral testing were enrolled. Research NS specimens were obtained through …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Research Trends Related To Human Immunodeficiency Virus., Madyson E. Johnson, Kaitlyn R. Coffman, Valerie Rivas, Elizabeth Barrett

ATU Scholars Symposium

Human immunodeficiency virus poses major health burden across the globe including the United States of America and has its zoonotic origin from the Simian Immunodeficiency viruses of sooty mangabey monkey and chimpanzee in Africa. Epidemiological trends indicate that even though the mortality rates for HIV are falling globally, the rates of new cases have been rising since 2010 in several countries including the USA. An estimated 0.5% of the human population is currently infected with the virus with countries like USA, India, Nigeria and South Africa carrying the highest burden of the disease. Host receptors such as CD4 and coreceptors …

Discovery And Identification Of Muwow Bacteriophage From Columbus, Ms, Olivia Reese Carlisle, Jess Holden Collins, Kaliyah J. Moore, Nykeria J. Pratt

Undergraduate Research Conference

Bacteriophages are an abundant type of virus with the ability to infect and kill bacteria while using them to replicate through lytic or lysogenic processes. Bacteriophages play a key role in the regulation of bacterial populations in various environments and are being explored as potential tools in phage therapy. The aim of this study was to isolate, characterize, and manually annotate the genome of the bacteriophage MUWow collected from the campus of the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS at GPS coordinates 33.493021 N, 88.419611 W. MUWow was isolated from a soil sample on Arthrobacter globiformis B-2979. Plaque assays, …

Internship As An In-Vivo Technician At The Institute For Antiviral Research, Ashlynn Clark

Student Research Symposium

The Institute for Antiviral Research (IAR), located at Utah State University, specializes in evaluating antiviral agents and vaccines against a wide array of human pathogenic viruses, such as influenza, enterovirus, West Nile virus, yellow fever, zika virus, polio, and SARS-CoV-2, utilizing in vivo and in vitro models.

Identifying Compensatory Mutations In The Envelope Protein Of Japanese Encephalitis Virus That Restore Neurovirulence, Nathan Taylor, Jiyoun Kim

Student Research Symposium

• Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) is a positive sense, single stranded Enveloped virus

Mdpk Cell Lines Can Be Used For In Vitro Antiviral Testing With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5n1), Jada L. Westover

Student Research Symposium

• Outbreak in agricultural poultry starting in 2022
• In March 2024 first confirmed case in Dairy Cattle
• Tested drugs T705, Oseltamivir, Baloxivir, Ribavirin, EIDD-2947, and EIDD-2749 on three different cell lines
• Goal: See if MDBK cell lines could be used for in vitro studies

Distributor-Specific Variability In Balb/C Mouse Mortality Following Sars-Cov-2-Ma10 Infection, Taylor Kerr

Student Research Symposium

In recent years SARS-COV-2 has become a rapidly expanding area of research. To model human infections, this virus was adapted to mice enabling valuable insight into these processes.² Mice are often an effective research model due to their low cost, short reproduction time, and ability to adapt to a wide variety of viruses. Research into these immunological responses is crucial in developing vaccines, treatments, and furthering our understanding of this virus' behavior.¹ However, genetic variability in mouse models may be confounding previous and on-going research.

Improved Protein Splicing Through Viral Passaging, John Smetana

Scholars Week

Intervening proteins (inteins) are translated as subdomains within host proteins and removed through an intein-driven splicing reaction where the flanking sequences (exteins) are joined with a peptide bond. Previously, we developed a self-removing translation reporter for labeling Ebola virus (EBOV). In this reporter, an intein (RadA) containing the fluorescent protein ZsGreen (ZsG) is inserted within the EBOV protein VP30. Upon VP30-RadA-ZsG expression from the viral genome, RadA-ZsG is removed from VP30 through the protein splicing activity of RadA, generating functional, non-tagged VP30 and functional ZsGreen. While incorporation of our VP30-RadA-ZsG fusion reporter into recombinant EBOV (rEBOV- RadA-ZsG) resulted in an …

Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (Npv) Motivates Wandering Behavior In The Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar, \Emph{Dione Vanillae}, Kayla Lizaola, Tiffany Bresnan, Arietta Fleming-Davies

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Bactericidal Effects Of Chlorine And Bacteriophages On Mycobacteria In Conventionally Treated Water., Max Kevane-Campbell

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Introduction

Mycobacteria are members of the order Actinomycetales and the only genus in the family Mycobacteriaceae. The distinguishing characteristics that are found in mycobacteria include acid-fastness and the presence of mycolic acids. Mycobacteria can be commonly classified as non-spore-forming, aerobic, slender rod-shaped, and are slow-growers. Natural reservoirs that mycobacteria can be found in are aquatic and terrestrial environments. Recent studies have shown that mycobacteria that can cause skin lesions, immune and/or pulmonary dysfunctions and chronic diseases, i.e., Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis, M. kansasii, and M. xenopi, can be isolated from common household tap water. Tap water can originate from …

Mycobacteriophage: A Demonstration Of The Reduction Of M. Smegmatis In Various Matrices., Laura O'Connell

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Background

Mycobacterial disease is a major cause of fatality worldwide, with approximately 1.5 million deaths for every 10 million infections. These infections are difficult to treat due to the intrinsic resistance of its mycolic acid rich cell wall to many antibiotics. There is potential for mycobacteriophage (MP) to be used therapeutically for multidrug- and extensively-drug resistant infections. Mycobacterium smegmatis mc² 155 is a useful substitute for slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria, as it propagates quickly under lab conditions. This feature of M. smegmatis increases the pace of analysis, by ensuring the quick isolation and characterisation of MP and acting as a …

Multiple Rsv Strains Infecting Hep-2 And A549 Cells Reveal Cell Line-Dependent Differences In Resistance To Rsv Infection, Anubama Rajan, Felipe-Andres Piedra, Letisha Aideyan, Trevor Mcbride, Matthew Robertson, Hannah L. Johnson, Gina Marie Aloisio, David Henke, Cristian Coarfa, Fabio Stossi, Vipin Kumar Menon, Harshavardhan Doddapaneni, Donna Marie Muzny, Sara Joan Javornik Cregeen, Kristi Louise Hoffman, Joseph Petrosino, Richard A. Gibbs, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Pedro A. Piedra

Research Symposium

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major viral driver of a global pediatric respiratory disease burden disproportionately borne by the poor¹. Thus, RSV, like SARS-CoV-2, combines with congenital and environmental and host-history-dependent factors to create a spectrum of disease with greatest severity most frequently occurring in those least able to procure treatment.

Methods: Here we apply whole genome sequencing and a suite of other molecular biological techniques to survey host-virus dynamics in infections of two distinct cell lines (HEp2 and A549) with four strains representative of known RSV genetic diversity.

Results: We observed non-gradient patterns of RSV …

Modeling Nonsegmented Negative-Strand Rna Virus (Nnsv) Transcription With Ejective Polymerase Collisions And Biased Diffusion, Felipe-Andres Piedra

Research Symposium

Background: The textbook model of NNSV transcription predicts a gene expression gradient. However, multiple studies show non-gradient gene expression patterns or data inconsistent with a simple gradient. Regarding the latter, several studies show a dramatic decrease in gene expression over the last two genes of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) genome (a highly studied NNSV). The textbook model cannot explain these phenomena.

Methods: Computational models of RSV and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV – another highly studied NNSV) transcription were written in the Python programming language using the Scientific Python Development Environment. The model code is freely available on GitHub: …

Identifying Non-Traditional Slippery Sequences Associated With Translational Frameshifts, Aaron J. Gin, Kari Lynn Clase

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

Genetic frameshifts are a mutation in which
a nucleotide skip leads to a shift in the
reading frame. In viruses, these frameshifts
can be programmed using a slippery
sequence to bypass the stop codon
associated with the initial protein. This
allows for variable control of protein
expression. In bacteriophages, translational
frameshifts have been identified but only a
few have been proven experimentally. Using
experimental data and comparative
genomics, non-traditional slippery
sequences can be identified as assisting in
controlling the protein coding throughout
viruses. Novel slippery sequences can aid in
the understanding of protein expression in
biological environments and further the …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Various Essential Oils Against The Sars Cov-2 Virus, Elizabeth Wagstaff, Chandrelyn Kraczek, Jack Brandon Lopez

Annual Research Symposium

A poster presentation and abstract for the Roseman Symposium. The project focuses on testing 3 essential oil blends and two disinfectants containing an essential oil blend against SARS CoV-2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project procedure involves plaque assays, disinfection, and neutralization techniques.

Meta-Analysis Of Transcriptomic Datasets For The Investigation Of Differential Expression In Hantavirus-Infected Human Tissue, John Krapohl

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Biocontrol Of Foodborne Pathogens Using Bacteriophages, Dzhuliya Ignatova, Erion Hogan, Simone Dakare, Jean Lu

Symposium of Student Scholars

Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Using Bacteriophages

Dzhuliya Ignatova, Erion Hogan, Simone Dakare, and Jean Lu

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology

Abstract

Salmonella and Shigella are two important groups of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Salmonella cause an illness called salmonellosis while Shigella cause shigellosis (bacillary dysentery). The most common symptoms of these illnesses are abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever. Shigella can also cause bloody diarrhea. It was estimated that each year Salmonella cause 93.8 million cases of gastroenteritis and 155,000 deaths globally. Shigella causes 164.7 million cases and 1.1 million deaths throughout the world yearly. People get these illnesses mainly by …

Bacteriophages Infecting Enterobacter Cloacae To Reduce Bloater Damage In Fermented Cucumbers

Symposium of Student Scholars

Fermented cucumbers are one of the most important fermented vegetables consumed worldwide. During cucumber fermentations, certain undesirable changes may occur. One of such changes is known as bloater defect (hollow cavities in fermented cucumbers), which is primarily caused by gas-producing bacteria including Enterobacter cloacae. Bloater defect lowers product quality and leads to significant economic loss to the pickle industry, and effective preventative methods are needed. Bacteriophages (phages) are highly host-specific bacterial killers. Use of phages to control unwanted bacteria in foods is a promising approach because phages do not change food properties. This research was to isolate, characterize, and …

Effectiveness Of Bacteriophages Against Bloater-Causing Bacteria Enterobacter Cloacae In A Model Food System, Ashley Reed, Dzhuliya Ignatova, Sandra Kopic, Unique Sardeneta

Symposium of Student Scholars

Effectiveness of bacteriophages against bloater-causing bacteria Enterobacter cloacae in a model food system

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology

Ashley Reed, Dzhuliya Ignatova, Sandra Kopic, Unique Sardeneta, and Jean Lu

Abstract

Cucumber fermentation is one of the most important vegetable fermentations in the United States and Europe. Enterobacter cloacae and other gas-producing bacteria can cause bloater defect (the gas pockets or hollow cavities formed in fermented cucumbers) which lowers the quality and the yield of fermented cucumbers, thereby resulting in significant economic losses to the pickling industry. Cost-effective strategies to control E. cloacae and other microbiota need to be …

Investigating The Sars-Cov-2 Orf 8 Accessory Protein: Expression, Purification, And Structural Determination, Laney Hedgeman, Caroline Salha

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

In order to provide insight into potential therapeutic breakthroughs for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more research must be done to understand the structure and function of its proteins. The open reading frame 8 (ORF 8) accessory protein is particularly unstable on its own outside of the viral envelope but can be stabilized when bound to the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) protein. The stable ORF 8-SUMO protein complex can be expressed and purified using familiar techniques and later characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, thus allowing us to gain knowledge about the role it plays …

B25: Generation And Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein-Pseudotyped Lentivirus Particles For Use In Neutralizing Antibody Titer Testing Of Human Serum, Luis Sanchez

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

B16: Chikungunya Virus Time Course Infection Of Human Macrophages, Madison Gray, Israel Guerrero-Arguero, Antonio Solis Leal, Richard Robison, Brad Burges, Brett Pickett

Annual Research Symposium

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an Alphavirus spread by Aedes spp. mosquitoes and is responsible for infecting 1.1 million people per year worldwide, including a large epidemic in the western hemisphere in 2014-2015. During the body’s immune response to CHIKV, human macrophages become infected after phagocytosis of CHIKV and undergo induced apoptosis, catalyzing the virus spread in the body. It is presently unclear what macrophage genes, functions, and intracellular signaling pathways are impacted during the early, intermediate, and late stages of CHIKV infection. Therefore we quantified the transcriptional response of human macrophage cells infected with CHIKV at two different timepoints.

Insights Into Viral Genome Function Through Comparative Structural Analysis, Lydia Phillips

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Enteroviruses are single stranded RNA viruses which have caused many public health concerns, particularly in children. These viruses are responsible for polio, hand, foot, and mouth disease, many polio-like neurological diseases, and the common cold. The enterovirus called Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a close relative to poliovirus, has been shown responsible for severe human disease, including pancreatitis, myocarditis, and type 1 diabetes. A unique advantage of studying CVB3 is the existence of a naturally occurring strain (CVB3/GA) which displays no known pathogenicity. Earlier comparative genomic studies have shown that the primary difference between avirulent CVB3/GA and the virulent strains of CVB3 …

Role Of Gp120 Glycosylation In Sexual Transmission Of Hiv, Yingxue Sun, Adam Meadows, Najwa Zebian, Eric Arts, Carole Creuzenet

Western Research Forum

Background:

In chronic HIV patients, the viral populations are genetically diverse due to mutations introduced by the viral reverse transcriptase during HIV replication. However, more than 80% new infections result from single transmission founder (TF) viruses; therefore, targeting the TFs is key to control AIDS worldwide.

Gp120 is a glycosylated envelope protein required for HIV infection, propagation, and transmission. Glycans on gp120 influence HIV infectivity through their interactions with lectins, the carbohydrate-binding immune proteins in the host mucosa. To transmit sexually, viruses must overcome the lectin traps to access more target T cells.

Hypothesis:

TF viruses are less likely to …

Secreted Ns1 Aids In Dengue Virus Entry By Binding Heparan Sulfate, Morgan E. Schafer, Michael Dibiasio-White, Richard J. Kuhn

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

A large portion of the world’s population lives in an area where they are at risk of contracting Dengue Virus (DENV). While infection with DENV can result in a wide range of clinical manifestations, from flu-like symptoms to hemorrhagic shock, vascular leakage, and even death, no treatments currently exist. Previous studies have shown that higher levels of viral non-structural protein 1 (NS1) in the blood of infected patients correlate with more severe disease. NS1 has been shown to play many roles in the viral lifecycle, but the mechanisms by which NS1 executes these functions are unknown. Preliminary data from our …

Finding Human Proteins That Bind To A Lassa Virus Protein, Maria Alejandra Pardo Ruge, Veronica J. Heintz, Douglas J. Lacount

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Viral hemorrhagic fevers are severe illnesses caused by many different viruses. Lassa Virus is one of these important pathogens in Western Africa, causing hemorrhagic fever and eventually death without early medical treatment. There is no vaccine and there is little information on host-pathogen interactions. Therefore, the interaction between viral proteins and host targets is useful to understand Lassa virus’s lifecycle and pathology, and to develop ways to prevent infection. In this project, we study the nucleoprotein of Lassa virus (NP), which has been reported to have anti-interferon (IFN) activity through elimination of double stranded RNA (dsRNA). These features could be …

Inhibiting Infectivity Of The Spindle Shaped Virus Using Silver Nanoparticles, Diana S. Demchenko

Student Research Symposium

Exploring the inhibiting factors of silver nanoparticles could change the way we approach drug-resistant viruses. In previous research, silver nanoparticles have shown to physically block viruses, such as HIV-1, from infecting its host by theoretically binding to surface receptors on the virus. Since there is little research done in this area, we have decided to combine silver nanoparticles with a virus that thrives within an extreme environment: the Spindle Shaped virus. By combining these two factors, we could reveal the biological and chemical properties that block the virus from infecting its host, Sulfolobus. Currently, we have collected data that shows …

Genome Annotation Of 3 New Rhodobacter Capsulatus Bacteriophages, Seth Borrowman, Niyant Vora, Emily Erdmann, Madeline Gibson, Richard Alvey, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Poster presentation abstract.

Study Of Coronavirus Protease Using Cfp-Yfp Fluorescent Assay, Caitlin E. Specht, Andrew Mesecar Ph.D., Katrina Molland Ph.D.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is an emerging viral disease originating in the Arabian Peninsula with a current mortality rate of nearly fifty percent throughout Europe and Asia according to the World Health Organization. Characterization of this disease is being done to understand the basis of viral replication. One target for viral inhibition are replication proteases. Replication proteases are enzymes that cleave proteins specific to cell growth and reproduction that form the viral replicase complex making them an ideal target for viral replication inhibition. First, replication proteases were characterized using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) construct by measuring the …