RESUMEN
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies are instrumental to improving our understanding of virus-host interactions in cell culture infection studies and complex biological systems because they allow separating the transcriptional signatures of infected versus non-infected bystander cells. A drawback of using biosafety level (BSL) 4 pathogens is that protocols are typically developed without consideration of virus inactivation during the procedure. To ensure complete inactivation of virus-containing samples for downstream analyses, an adaptation of the workflow is needed. Focusing on a commercially available microfluidic partitioning scRNA-seq platform to prepare samples for scRNA-seq, we tested various chemical and physical components of the platform for their ability to inactivate Nipah virus (NiV), a BSL-4 pathogen that belongs to the group of nonsegmented negative-sense RNA viruses. The only step of the standard protocol that led to NiV inactivation was a 5 min incubation at 85 °C. To comply with the more stringent biosafety requirements for BSL-4-derived samples, we included an additional heat step after cDNA synthesis. This step alone was sufficient to inactivate NiV-containing samples, adding to the necessary inactivation redundancy. Importantly, the additional heat step did not affect sample quality or downstream scRNA-seq results.
RESUMEN
Research on filoviruses has historically focused on the highly pathogenic ebola- and marburgviruses. Indeed, until recently, these were the only two genera in the filovirus family. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have facilitated the discovery of not only a new ebolavirus, but also three new filovirus genera and a sixth proposed genus. While two of these new genera are similar to the ebola- and marburgviruses, the other two, discovered in saltwater fishes, are considerably more diverse. Nonetheless, these viruses retain a number of key features of the other filoviruses. Here, we review the key characteristics of filovirus replication and transcription, highlighting similarities and differences between the viruses. In particular, we focus on key regulatory elements in the genomes, replication and transcription strategies, and the conservation of protein domains and functions among the viruses. In addition, using computational analyses, we were able to identify potential homology and functions for some of the genes of the novel filoviruses with previously unknown functions. Although none of the newly discovered filoviruses have yet been isolated, initial studies of some of these viruses using minigenome systems have yielded insights into their mechanisms of replication and transcription. In general, the Cuevavirus and proposed Dianlovirus genera appear to follow the transcription and replication strategies employed by the ebola- and marburgviruses, respectively. While our knowledge of the fish filoviruses is currently limited to sequence analysis, the lack of certain conserved motifs and even entire genes necessitates that they have evolved distinct mechanisms of replication and transcription.
Asunto(s)
Filoviridae/genética , Genoma Viral/genética , Elementos Reguladores de la Transcripción/genética , Elementos Reguladores de la Transcripción/fisiología , Replicación Viral/genética , Replicación Viral/fisiologíaRESUMEN
The highly pathogenic Marburg virus (MARV) is a member of the Filoviridae family and belongs to the group of nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses. Reverse genetics systems established for MARV have been used to study various aspects of the viral replication cycle, analyze host responses, image viral infection, and screen for antivirals. This article provides an overview of the currently established MARV reverse genetic systems based on minigenomes, infectious virus-like particles and full-length clones, and the research that has been conducted using these systems.
Asunto(s)
Marburgvirus/genética , Genética Inversa/métodos , Virología/métodos , Marburgvirus/patogenicidad , Marburgvirus/fisiologíaRESUMEN
The highly pathogenic filoviruses, Marburg and Ebola virus, belong to the nonsegmented negative-sense RNA viruses of the order Mononegavirales. The mode of replication and transcription is similar for these viruses. On one hand, the negative-sense RNA genome serves as a template for replication, to generate progeny genomes, and, on the other hand, for transcription, to produce mRNAs. Despite the similarities in the replication/transcription strategy, filoviruses have evolved structural and functional properties that are unique among the nonsegmented negative-sense RNA viruses. Moreover, there are also striking differences in the replication and transcription mechanisms of Marburg and Ebola virus. This includes nucleocapsid formation, the structure of the genomic replication promoter, the protein requirement for transcription and the use of mRNA editing. In this article, the current knowledge of the replication and transcription strategy of Marburg and Ebola virus is reviewed, with focus on the observed differences.