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Prehistoric Pathoecology As Represented By Parasites Of A Mummy From The Peruaçu Valley, Brazil, Karl Reinhard, Adauto Araújo Oct 2016

Prehistoric Pathoecology As Represented By Parasites Of A Mummy From The Peruaçu Valley, Brazil, Karl Reinhard, Adauto Araújo

Karl Reinhard Publications

Paleopathologists have begun exploring the pathoecology of parasitic diseases in relation to diet and environment. We are summarizing the parasitological findings from a mummy in the site of Lapa do Boquete, a Brazilian cave in the state of Minas Gerais. These findings in context of the archaeology of the site provided insights into the pathoecology of disease transmission in cave and rockshelter environments. We are presenting a description of the site followed by the evidence of hookworm, intestinal fluke, and Trypanosoma infection with resulting Chagas disease in the mummy discovered in the cave. These findings are used to reconstruct the …


Assessing The Archaeoparasitological Potential Of Quids As A Source Material For Immunodiagnostic Analyses, Johnica J. Morrow, Karl Reinhard Oct 2016

Assessing The Archaeoparasitological Potential Of Quids As A Source Material For Immunodiagnostic Analyses, Johnica J. Morrow, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

In the present study, quids from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (CMC) were subjected to ELISA tests for 2 protozoan parasites, Toxoplasma gondii (n=45) and Trypanosoma cruzi (n=43). The people who occupied CMC, the Loma San Gabriel, lived throughout much of present-day Durango and Zacatecas in Mexico. The known pathoecology of these people puts them into at-risk categories for the transmission of T. gondii and T. cruzi. Human antibodies created in response to these 2 parasites can be detected in modern saliva using ELISA kits intended for use with human serum. For these reasons, quids were reconstituted and …


Temporal And Spatial Distribution Of Enterobius Vermicularis (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) In The Prehistoric Americas, Karl J. Reinhard, Adauto Araújo, Johnica J. Morrow Sep 2016

Temporal And Spatial Distribution Of Enterobius Vermicularis (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) In The Prehistoric Americas, Karl J. Reinhard, Adauto Araújo, Johnica J. Morrow

Karl Reinhard Publications

Investigations of Enterobius sp. infection in prehistory have produced a body of data that can be used to evaluate the geographic distribution of infection through time in the Americas. Regional variations in prevalence are evident. In North America, 119 pinworm positive samples were found in 1,112 samples from 28 sites with a prevalence of 10.7%. Almost all of the positive samples came from agricultural sites. From Brazil, 0 pinworm positive samples were found in 325 samples from 7 sites. For the Andes region, 22 pinworm positive samples were found in 411 samples from 26 sites for a prevalence of 5.3%. …


Experimental Infection Of Conventional Nursing Pigs And Their Dams With Porcine Deltacoronavirus, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, John Dustin Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen, Clayton L. Kelling, Alan R. Doster, Christina L. Topliff, Eric A. Nelson, Jianfa Bai, Erin Schirtzinger, Elizabeth Poulsen, Barbara Meadors, Joseph Anderson, Benjamin Hause, Gary Anderson, Richard Hesse Sep 2016

Experimental Infection Of Conventional Nursing Pigs And Their Dams With Porcine Deltacoronavirus, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, John Dustin Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen, Clayton L. Kelling, Alan R. Doster, Christina L. Topliff, Eric A. Nelson, Jianfa Bai, Erin Schirtzinger, Elizabeth Poulsen, Barbara Meadors, Joseph Anderson, Benjamin Hause, Gary Anderson, Richard Hesse

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a newly identified virus that has been detected in swine herds of North America associated with enteric disease. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the pathogenicity, course of infection, virus kinetics, and aerosol transmission of PDCoV using 87 conventional piglets and their 9 dams, including aerosol and contact controls to emulate field conditions. Piglets 2–4 days of age and their dams were administered an oronasal PDCoV inoculum with a quantitative real-time reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR quantification cycle (Cq) value of 22 that was generated from a field sample having 100% nucleotide identity to USA/Illinois121/2014 determined …


Cleaning Puparia For Forensic Analysis, Leon G. Higley, Tierney R. Brosius, Karl Reinhard, David Carter Sep 2016

Cleaning Puparia For Forensic Analysis, Leon G. Higley, Tierney R. Brosius, Karl Reinhard, David Carter

Karl Reinhard Publications

We tested procedures for removing adipocere from insect samples to allow identification. An acceptable procedure was determined: (i) Samples were sorted in petri dishes with 75% alcohol to remove any larvae, adult insects, or other soft-bodied material. (ii) Samples of up to 24 puparia were placed in a vial with 15 mL of 95% acetone, capped, and vortexed for a total of 30–90 sec in 10- to 15-sec bursts. This step removed large masses of adipocere or soil from specimen. (iii) Specimens were removed from acetone and placed in a vial of 15 mL of 2% potassium hydroxide (KOH) and …


Cryptosporidium Parvum Among Coprolites From La Cueva De Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 Ce), Rio Zape Valley, Durango, Mexico, Johnica J. Morrow, Karl Reinhard Aug 2016

Cryptosporidium Parvum Among Coprolites From La Cueva De Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 Ce), Rio Zape Valley, Durango, Mexico, Johnica J. Morrow, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

In the present study, 90 coprolites from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (CMC) were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests for 3 diarrhea-inducing protozoan parasites, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia duodenalis, and Cryptosporidium parvum, to determine whether these parasites were present among the people who utilized this cave 1,200–1,400 yr ago. These people, the Loma San Gabriel, developed as a culture out of the Archaic Los Caracoles population and lived throughout much of present-day Durango and Zacatecas in Mexico. The Loma San Gabriel persisted through a mixed subsistence strategy of hunting-gathering and agricultural production. The results of …


Membrane Insertion For The Detection Of Lipopolysaccharides: Exploring The Dynamics Of Amphiphile-In-Lipid Assays, Loreen R. Stromberg, Nicolas W. Hengartner, Kirstie L. Swingle, Rodney A. Moxley, Steven W. Graves, Gabriel A. Montaño, Harshini Mukundan May 2016

Membrane Insertion For The Detection Of Lipopolysaccharides: Exploring The Dynamics Of Amphiphile-In-Lipid Assays, Loreen R. Stromberg, Nicolas W. Hengartner, Kirstie L. Swingle, Rodney A. Moxley, Steven W. Graves, Gabriel A. Montaño, Harshini Mukundan

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli is an important cause of foodborne illness, with cases attributable to beef, fresh produce and other sources. Many serotypes of the pathogen cause disease, and differentiating one serotype from another requires specific identification of the O antigen located on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecule. The amphiphilic structure of LPS poses a challenge when using classical detection methods, which do not take into account its lipoglycan biochemistry. Typically, detection of LPS requires heat or chemical treatment of samples and relies on bioactivity assays for the conserved lipid A portion of the molecule. Our goal was to develop assays …


Development Of A Novel Self-Propagating Prssv-Vsv G Hybrid Replicon As A Vector For Inducing Broad Prrsv Protection, Asit K. Pattnaik May 2016

Development Of A Novel Self-Propagating Prssv-Vsv G Hybrid Replicon As A Vector For Inducing Broad Prrsv Protection, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Throughout successive cycles of Pork Check-off funding, our laboratories (Pattnaik’s and Osorio’s labs) have consistently produced new and fundamental information on: (i) the immunologic mechanisms that are important for protection against PRRSV infection, (ii) the structural basis for induction of PRRSV-neutralizing antibodies which are significant for conferring protective immunity, (iii) the possibility of producing a rationally-designed new generation DIVA vaccine that would offer more efficacious protection, and (iv) the presence of conserved B- and T-cell epitopes in the structural and nonstructural proteins (NSPs) of PRRSV.


Viruses, Vaccines And The Public, Judy Diamond, Julia Mcquillan, Amy Spiegel, Patricia Wonch Hill, Rebecca Smith, John T. West, Charles Wood May 2016

Viruses, Vaccines And The Public, Judy Diamond, Julia Mcquillan, Amy Spiegel, Patricia Wonch Hill, Rebecca Smith, John T. West, Charles Wood

World of Viruses

Current research in virology is changing public conceptions about vaccines and infectious disease. The University of Nebraska State Museum collaborated with research virologists, science writers, artists and learning researchers to create public outreach materials about viruses and infectious disease. The project, funded by the National Institute of Health’s SEPA program, developed comics, a book with Carl Zimmer, and other materials and programs. The project launched three kinds of learning research: 1) a survey of Nebraska adults on their opinions about vaccines and infectious disease; 2) a study comparing the mental models of viruses, vaccines and infection from virologists, teachers, and …


Plants, Prions And Possibilities: Current Understanding And Significance Of Prion Uptake Into Plants, Tracy A. Nichols May 2016

Plants, Prions And Possibilities: Current Understanding And Significance Of Prion Uptake Into Plants, Tracy A. Nichols

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an infectious, neurodegenerative disease of deer (white-tailed and mule), elk, moose, sika deer and muntjac caused by a misfolded version of a normally occurring protein. The notion that CWD could be spread indirectly via the environment has been documented and accepted in the scientific community for quite some time. Deer and elk consume soil, inhale dust and lick objects that have infectious material on them, resulting in chronic, low dose exposure. Surface contamination of plants with urine or feces is likely an additional source of exposure via ingestion and has been modeled in the laboratory …


Non-Essentiality Of Alr And Muri Genes In Mycobacteria, Philion L. Hoff, Denise Zinniel, Raúl G. Barletta Apr 2016

Non-Essentiality Of Alr And Muri Genes In Mycobacteria, Philion L. Hoff, Denise Zinniel, Raúl G. Barletta

UCARE Research Products

Amino acids are the building blocks of life. If DNA is the blueprint, amino acids are the lumber that proteins are built with. Proteins are built with left-handed, L- forms of amino acids. Bacteria have an essential cell wall component that happens to be an exception: peptidoglycan. Bacteria have enzymes called racemases that convert L- amino acid forms into right-handed, D- forms. Amino acids participate in many reactions with keto acids. Transaminases allow conversion between amino acids by transfer of an amino group.

Previous reports claimed there is no D-ala transaminase activity in mycobacteria and thus alr and murI genes …


The Pseudorabies Virus Protein, Pul56, Enhances Virus Dissemination And Virulence But Is Dispensable For Axonal Transport, Gina R. Daniel, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Gregory A. Smith Jan 2016

The Pseudorabies Virus Protein, Pul56, Enhances Virus Dissemination And Virulence But Is Dispensable For Axonal Transport, Gina R. Daniel, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Gregory A. Smith

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Neurotropic herpesviruses exit the peripheral nervous system and return to exposed body surfaces following reactivation from latency. The pUS9 protein is a critical viral effector of the anterograde axonal transport that underlies this process. We recently reported that while pUS9 increases the frequency of sorting of newly assembled pseudorabies virus particles to axons from the neural soma during egress, subsequent axonal transport of individual virus particles occurs with wild-type kinetics in the absence of the protein. Here, we examine the role of a related pseudorabies virus protein, pUL56, during neuronal infection. The findings indicate that pUL56 is a virulence factor …


Autoimmunity In Picornavirus Infections, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Andreas Koenig, Jay Reddy, Sally Huber, Iwona Buskiewicz Jan 2016

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.


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 Jan 2016

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 …


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 Jan 2016

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. …


Expression And Distribution Of Thiol-Regulating Enzyme Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) In Porcine Ocular Tissues, Bijaya Upadhyaya, Xiaoli Tian, Hongli Wu, Marjorie F. Lou Jan 2016

Expression And Distribution Of Thiol-Regulating Enzyme Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) In Porcine Ocular Tissues, Bijaya Upadhyaya, Xiaoli Tian, Hongli Wu, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Glutaredoxin2 (Grx2) is a mitochondrial isozyme of the cytosolic glutaredoxin1 (thioltransferase or TTase). Both belong to the large oxidoreductase family and play an important role in maintaining thiol/disulfide redox homeostasis in the cells. Grx2 is recently found in the lens where its activities of disulfide reductase and peroxidase, similar to TTase, can protect the lens against oxidative stress. Since other eye tissues are also highly sensitive to oxidative stress, and TTase’s distribution in the eye is known, we focused on this study by investigating the Grx2 distribution in the ocular tissues in comparison to the lens. Fresh porcine eyes were …


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 Jan 2016

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 Jan 2016

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 …


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 Jan 2016

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 …


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 Jan 2016

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 Jan 2016

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 Jan 2016

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 …


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 Jan 2016

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 …


Note On Ehrlichia Chaffeensis, Ehrlichia Ewingii, And “Borrelia Lonestari” Infection In Lone Star Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), Nebraska, Usa, Amanda Maegli, J. Dustin Loy, Roberto Cortinas Jan 2016

Note On Ehrlichia Chaffeensis, Ehrlichia Ewingii, And “Borrelia Lonestari” Infection In Lone Star Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), Nebraska, Usa, Amanda Maegli, J. Dustin Loy, Roberto Cortinas

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae), is established in southeastern Nebraska, yet the prevalence of tick-associated microorganisms is not known. An initial PCR-based analysis for Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Borrelia infection in host-seeking adult ticks collected in southeast Nebraska was conducted. A total of 251 adult ticks collected in six sites in southeast Nebraska were tested. E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Borrelia spp. were present, and the prevalence of each was approximately 1.6%. This study demonstrates that Ehrlichia spp. are present in Nebraska lone star tick populations.


Analysis Of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Mutant Libraries Reveals Loci-Dependent Transposition Biases And Strategies For Novel Mutant Discovery, Govardhan Rathnaiah, John Bannantine, Darrell O. Bayles, Denise K. Zinniel, Judith R. Stabel, Yrjö T. Gröhn, Raúl G. Barletta Jan 2016

Analysis Of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Mutant Libraries Reveals Loci-Dependent Transposition Biases And Strategies For Novel Mutant Discovery, Govardhan Rathnaiah, John Bannantine, Darrell O. Bayles, Denise K. Zinniel, Judith R. Stabel, Yrjö T. Gröhn, Raúl G. Barletta

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the aetiological agent of Johne’s disease, is one of the most important bacterial pathogens in ruminants. A thorough understanding of MAP pathogenesis is needed to develop new vaccines and diagnostic tests. The generation of comprehensive random transposon mutant libraries is a fundamental genetic technology to determine the role of genes in physiology and pathogenesis. In this study, whole MAP genome analysis compared the insertion sites for the mycobacterial transposon Tn5367 derived from the Mycobacterium smegmatis insertion sequence IS1096 and the mariner transposon MycoMarT7 carrying the Himar1 transposase. We determined that only MycoMarT7 provides …


Mosquito Host Choices On Livestock Amplifiers Of Rift Valley Fever Virus In Kenya, David P. Tchouassi, Robinson O. Okiro, Rosemary Sang, Lee W. Cohnstaedt, D. Scott Mcvey, Baldwyn Torto Jan 2016

Mosquito Host Choices On Livestock Amplifiers Of Rift Valley Fever Virus In Kenya, David P. Tchouassi, Robinson O. Okiro, Rosemary Sang, Lee W. Cohnstaedt, D. Scott Mcvey, Baldwyn Torto

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Animal hosts may vary in their attraction and acceptability as components of the host location process for assessing preference, and biting rates of vectors and risk of exposure to pathogens. However, these parameters remain poorly understood for mosquito vectors of the Rift Valley fever (RVF), an arboviral disease, and for a community of mosquitoes.

Methods: Using three known livestock amplifiers of RVF virus including sheep, goat and cattle as bait in enclosure traps, we investigated the host-feeding patterns for a community of mosquitoes in Naivasha, an endemic area of Rift Valley fever (RVF), in a longitudinal study for six …


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 Jan 2016

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 Myhc334-352-induced experimental autoimmune myocarditis in A/J mice (H-2a), we discovered that Myhc334-352, 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 Myhc338-348 within the full length-Myhc334-352, leading to four key findings. (1) By acting as a dual epitope, Myhc338-348 induces both …


Visualizing Herpesvirus Procapsids In Living Cells, Oana Maier, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Gregory A. Smith Jan 2016

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 …


Guidelines For The Use And Interpretation Of Assays For Monitoring Autophagy (3rd Edition), Daniel J. Klionsky, Rodrigo Franco, More Than 2,000 Co-Authors Jan 2016

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 …


Genome-Wide Search For Host Association Factors During Ovine Progressive Pneumonia Virus Infection, Jesse Thompson, Fangrui Ma, Meghan Quinn, Shi-Hua Xiang Jan 2016

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 …