KKnowledgeTrendResearch Network
Research topic

Plant Virus Research Studies

Discover papers and researchers connected with this scholarly topic.

Research papers

2020 · Viruses · 819 citations

Monkeypox Virus in Nigeria: Infection Biology, Epidemiology, and Evolution

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), which is a member of orthopoxvirus genus. The reemergence of MPXV in 2017 (at Bayelsa state) after 39 years of no reported case in Nigeria, and the export of travelers' monkeypox (MPX) from Nigeria to other parts of the world, in 2018 and 2019, respectively, have raised concern that MPXV may have emerged to occupy the ecological and immunological niche vacated by smallpox virus. This review X-rays the current state of knowledge pertaining the infection biology, epidemiology, and evolution of MPXV in Nigeria and worldwide, especially with regard to the human, cellular, and viral factors that modulate the virus transmission dynamics, infection, and its maintenance in nature. This paper also elucidates the role of recombination, gene loss and gene gain in MPXV evolution, chronicles the role of signaling in MPXV infection, and reviews the current therapeutic options available for the treatment and prevention of MPX. Additionally, genome-wide phylogenetic analysis was undertaken, and we show that MPXV isolates from recent 2017 outbreak in Nigeria were monophyletic with the isolate exported to Israel from Nigeria but do not share the most recent common ancestor with isolates obtained from earlier outbreaks, in 1971 and 1978, respectively. Finally, the review highlighted gaps in knowledge particularly the non-identification of a definitive reservoir host animal for MPXV and proposed future research endeavors to address the unresolved questions.

2020 · mSphere · 38 citations

Comparative Molecular Biology Approaches for the Production of Poliovirus Virus-Like Particles Using <i>Pichia pastoris</i>

Although the current poliovirus immunization program has been extremely successful in reducing the number of cases of paralytic polio worldwide, now more cases are caused by vaccine-derived polioviruses than by wild poliovirus. Switching to inactivated poliovirus vaccines will reduce this over time; however, their production requires the growth of large amounts of virus. This biosafety concern can be addressed by producing just the virus capsid. The capsid serves to protect the genetic material, which causes disease when introduced into a cell. Therefore, empty capsids (virus-like particles [VLPs]), which lack the viral RNA genome, are safe both to make and to use. We exploit yeast as a versatile model expression system to produce VLPs, and here we specifically highlight the potential of this system to supply next-generation poliovirus vaccines to secure a polio-free world for the future.