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Robert Coutts
Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Science, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK

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Journal article
Published: 22 June 2021 in Journal of Fungi
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A virus-free (VF) A. fumigatus isolate has been shown to be resistant in competition with Pseudomonas as compared to the isogenic line infected with Aspergillus fumigatus polymycovirus 1 (AfuPmV-1), and this phenotype was apparently related to alterations in iron metabolism. Here we investigated further the mechanisms underpinning this phenotype. The extracellular siderophore profiles of five isogenic VF and virus-infected (VI) strains were sampled at 24, 31, 48, 54, and 72 h in submerged cultures and quantitatively examined by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Intracellular profiles of conidia and cultures at the stationary growth phase were defined. VF A. fumigatus demonstrated the best fitness represented by the fastest onset of its exponential growth when grown on an iron-limited mineral medium. The exponential phase and transitional production phase of the extracellular triacetylfusarinine C (TafC) were achieved at 24 and 31 h, respectively, contrary to VI strains, which acted more slowly. As a result, the TafC reservoir was consumed sooner in the VF strain. Additionally, the VF strain had lower ferricrocin and higher hydroxyferricrocin content in the pellet during the stationary phase. All of these differences were significant (Kruskal–Wallis, p< 0.01). In our study, the siderophore reservoir of a VF strain was consumed sooner, improving the fitness of the VF strain in competition with P. aeruginosa.

ACS Style

Rutuja Patil; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Andrea Palyzová; Tomáš Pluháček; Robert Coutts; David Stevens; Vladimír Havlíček. Freeing Aspergillus fumigatus of Polymycovirus Infection Renders It More Resistant to Competition with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Due to Altered Iron-Acquiring Tactics. Journal of Fungi 2021, 7, 497 .

AMA Style

Rutuja Patil, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Andrea Palyzová, Tomáš Pluháček, Robert Coutts, David Stevens, Vladimír Havlíček. Freeing Aspergillus fumigatus of Polymycovirus Infection Renders It More Resistant to Competition with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Due to Altered Iron-Acquiring Tactics. Journal of Fungi. 2021; 7 (7):497.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rutuja Patil; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Andrea Palyzová; Tomáš Pluháček; Robert Coutts; David Stevens; Vladimír Havlíček. 2021. "Freeing Aspergillus fumigatus of Polymycovirus Infection Renders It More Resistant to Competition with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Due to Altered Iron-Acquiring Tactics." Journal of Fungi 7, no. 7: 497.

Journal article
Published: 16 April 2021 in Viruses
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Aspergillus and Pseudomonas compete in nature, and are the commonest bacterial and fungal pathogens in some clinical settings, such as the cystic fibrosis lung. Virus infections of fungi occur naturally. Effects on fungal physiology need delineation. A common reference Aspergillus fumigatus strain, long studied in two (of many) laboratories, was found infected with the AfuPmV-1 virus. One isolate was cured of virus, producing a virus-free strain. Virus from the infected strain was purified and used to re-infect three subcultures of the virus-free fungus, producing six fungal strains, otherwise isogenic. They were studied in intermicrobial competition with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pseudomonas culture filtrates inhibited forming or preformed Aspergillus biofilm from infected strains to a greater extent, also seen when Pseudomonas volatiles were assayed on Aspergillus. Purified iron-chelating Pseudomonas molecules, known inhibitors of Aspergillus biofilm, reproduced these differences. Iron, a stimulus of Aspergillus, enhanced the virus-free fungus, compared to infected. All infected fungal strains behaved similarly in assays. We show an important consequence of virus infection, a weakening in intermicrobial competition. Viral infection may affect the outcome of bacterial–fungal competition in nature and patients. We suggest that this occurs via alteration in fungal stress responses, the mechanism best delineated here is a result of virus-induced altered Aspergillus iron metabolism.

ACS Style

Hasan Nazik; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Gabriele Sass; Robert Coutts; David Stevens. Virus Infection of Aspergillus fumigatus Compromises the Fungus in Intermicrobial Competition. Viruses 2021, 13, 686 .

AMA Style

Hasan Nazik, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Gabriele Sass, Robert Coutts, David Stevens. Virus Infection of Aspergillus fumigatus Compromises the Fungus in Intermicrobial Competition. Viruses. 2021; 13 (4):686.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hasan Nazik; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Gabriele Sass; Robert Coutts; David Stevens. 2021. "Virus Infection of Aspergillus fumigatus Compromises the Fungus in Intermicrobial Competition." Viruses 13, no. 4: 686.

Research article
Published: 01 January 2020 in Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions®
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Phoma stem canker (blackleg) is one of the most important diseases of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) worldwide and is caused by a complex that comprises at least two species: Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa. Screening a panel of field Leptosphaeria isolates from B. napus for the presence of mycoviruses revealed the presence of a novel double-stranded RNA quadrivirus in L. biglobosa and no viruses in L. maculans. Following elimination of the mycovirus, virus-infected and virus-free isogenic lines of L. biglobosa were created. A direct comparison of the growth and virulence of these isogenic lines illustrated that virus infection caused hypervirulence and resulted in induced systemic resistance toward L. maculans in B. napus following lower leaf preinoculation with the virus-infected isolate. Analysis of the plant transcriptome suggests that the presence of the virus leads to subtle alterations in metabolism and plant defenses. For instance, transcripts involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism are enriched in plants treated with the virus-infected isolate, while pathogenesis-related proteins, chitinases and WRKY transcription factors are differentially expressed. These results illustrate the potential for deliberate inoculation of plants with hypervirulent L. biglobosa to decrease the severity of Phoma stem canker later in the growing season. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .

ACS Style

Unnati A. Shah; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Bruce D. L. Fitt; Robert H. A. Coutts. Mycovirus-Induced Hypervirulence of Leptosphaeria biglobosa Enhances Systemic Acquired Resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans in Brassica napus. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions® 2020, 33, 98 -107.

AMA Style

Unnati A. Shah, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Bruce D. L. Fitt, Robert H. A. Coutts. Mycovirus-Induced Hypervirulence of Leptosphaeria biglobosa Enhances Systemic Acquired Resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans in Brassica napus. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions®. 2020; 33 (1):98-107.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Unnati A. Shah; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Bruce D. L. Fitt; Robert H. A. Coutts. 2020. "Mycovirus-Induced Hypervirulence of Leptosphaeria biglobosa Enhances Systemic Acquired Resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans in Brassica napus." Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions® 33, no. 1: 98-107.

Abstract
Published: 01 January 2020 in Proceedings
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The cosmopolitan insect-pathogenic fungus and popular biocontrol agent Beauveria bassiana can be used to control Anopheles mosquito populations and restrict the spread of malaria, the deadliest vector-borne infectious disease in the world caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium. Here, we establish that infection with a double-stranded (ds)RNA mycovirus, Beauveria bassiana polymycovirus (BbPmV)-1, significantly reduces B. bassiana virulence against A. coluzzii, the main vector of malaria. The BbPmV-1-mediated hypovirulence can be at least partially attributed to slow fungal growth on the mosquitos. Analysis of the dual next-generation sequencing of the B. bassiana and A. coluzzii transcriptomes provided insight into the molecular mechanisms of the BbPmV-1-mediated effects. BbPmV-1-free B. bassiana has a wide impact on the A. coluzzii transcriptome, affecting immunity and metabolism, and led to the identification of novel immune response proteins. BbPmV-1 regulates the gene expression profile of its fungal host, directing the use of available resources towards sporulation and suppressing the mosquito immune system. Additionally, BbPmV-1-infected and -free B. bassiana strains differentially modulate mosquito gut microbiota; the former reduces the bacterial genus Elizabethkingia and the latter Serratia. Co-transfection of mosquitos with B. bassiana and P. berghei revealed a reduction of ookinetes in the presence of BbPmV-1, potentially due to the upregulation of a mycotoxin. Finally, BbPmV-1-mediated hypovirulence is at least partially dependent on the A. coluzzii RNAi pathway, and silencing of the dicer-2 gene restores virulence. Taken together, our data clearly demonstrate the crucial role of mycovirus infection in mediating B. bassiana virulence against A. coluzzii and suggest that BbPmV-1 protects A. coluzzii from B. bassiana, the mosquito’s own immune system, potentially harmful gut microbiota, and Plasmodium parasites.

ACS Style

Andre N. Pitaluga; Charalampos Filippou; Josephine Blakiston; Robert H.A. Coutts; George K. Christophides; Ioly Kotta-Loizou. A Mycovirus Mediates the Virulence of an Insect-Killing Fungus against the Malaria Mosquito Vector. Proceedings 2020, 50, 148 .

AMA Style

Andre N. Pitaluga, Charalampos Filippou, Josephine Blakiston, Robert H.A. Coutts, George K. Christophides, Ioly Kotta-Loizou. A Mycovirus Mediates the Virulence of an Insect-Killing Fungus against the Malaria Mosquito Vector. Proceedings. 2020; 50 (1):148.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andre N. Pitaluga; Charalampos Filippou; Josephine Blakiston; Robert H.A. Coutts; George K. Christophides; Ioly Kotta-Loizou. 2020. "A Mycovirus Mediates the Virulence of an Insect-Killing Fungus against the Malaria Mosquito Vector." Proceedings 50, no. 1: 148.

Communication
Published: 25 December 2018 in Viruses
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Here we report the molecular characterisation of a novel dsRNA virus isolated from the filamentous, plant pathogenic fungus Leptosphaeria biglobosa and known to cause significant alterations to fungal pigmentation and growth and to result in hypervirulence, as illustrated by comparisons between virus-infected and -cured isogenic fungal strains. The virus forms isometric particles approximately 40–45 nm in diameter and has a quadripartite dsRNA genome structure with size ranges of 4.9 to 4 kbp, each possessing a single ORF. Sequence analysis of the putative proteins encoded by dsRNAs 1–4, termed P1–P4, respectively, revealed modest similarities to the amino acid sequences of equivalent proteins predicted from the nucleotide sequences of known and suspected members of the family Quadriviridae and for that reason the virus was nominated Leptosphaeria biglobosa quadrivirus-1 (LbQV-1). Sequence and phylogenetic analysis using the P3 sequence, which encodes an RdRP, revealed that LbQV-1 was most closely related to known and suspected quadriviruses and monopartite totiviruses rather than other quadripartite mycoviruses including chrysoviruses and alternaviruses. Of the remaining encoded proteins, LbQV-1 P2 and P4 are structural proteins but the function of P1 is unknown. We propose that LbQV-1 is a novel member of the family Quadriviridae.

ACS Style

Unnati A. Shah; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Bruce D. L. Fitt; Robert H. A. Coutts. Identification, Molecular Characterization, and Biology of a Novel Quadrivirus Infecting the Phytopathogenic Fungus Leptosphaeria biglobosa. Viruses 2018, 11, 9 .

AMA Style

Unnati A. Shah, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Bruce D. L. Fitt, Robert H. A. Coutts. Identification, Molecular Characterization, and Biology of a Novel Quadrivirus Infecting the Phytopathogenic Fungus Leptosphaeria biglobosa. Viruses. 2018; 11 (1):9.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Unnati A. Shah; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Bruce D. L. Fitt; Robert H. A. Coutts. 2018. "Identification, Molecular Characterization, and Biology of a Novel Quadrivirus Infecting the Phytopathogenic Fungus Leptosphaeria biglobosa." Viruses 11, no. 1: 9.

Communication
Published: 24 November 2018 in Viruses
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The use of mycoviruses to manipulate the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi employed as biocontrol agents may lead to the development of novel methods to control attacks by insect pests. Such approaches are urgently required, as existing agrochemicals are being withdrawn from the market due to environmental and health concerns. The aim of this work is to investigate the presence and diversity of mycoviruses in large panels of entomopathogenic fungi, mostly from Spain and Denmark. In total, 151 isolates belonging to the genera Beauveria, Metarhizium, Lecanicillium, Purpureocillium, Isaria, and Paecilomyces were screened for the presence of dsRNA elements and 12 Spanish B. bassiana isolates were found to harbor mycoviruses. All identified mycoviruses belong to three previously characterised species, the officially recognised Beauveria bassiana victorivirus 1 (BbVV-1) and the proposed Beauveria bassiana partitivirus 2 (BbPV-2) and Beauveria bassiana polymycovirus 1 (BbPmV-1); individual B. bassiana isolates may harbor up to three of these mycoviruses. Notably, these mycovirus species are under distinct selection pressures, while recombination of viral genomes increases population diversity. Phylogenetic analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene sequences revealed that the current population structure in Spain is potentially a result of both vertical and horizontal mycovirus transmission. Finally, pathogenicity experiments using the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata showed no direct correlation between the presence of any particular mycovirus and the virulence of the B. bassiana isolates, but illustrated potentially interesting isolates that exhibit relatively high virulence, which will be used in more detailed virulence experimentation in the future.

ACS Style

Charalampos Filippou; Inmaculada Garrido-Jurado; Nicolai V. Meyling; Enrique Quesada-Moraga; Robert H. A. Coutts; Ioly Kotta-Loizou. Mycoviral Population Dynamics in Spanish Isolates of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana. Viruses 2018, 10, 665 .

AMA Style

Charalampos Filippou, Inmaculada Garrido-Jurado, Nicolai V. Meyling, Enrique Quesada-Moraga, Robert H. A. Coutts, Ioly Kotta-Loizou. Mycoviral Population Dynamics in Spanish Isolates of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana. Viruses. 2018; 10 (12):665.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Charalampos Filippou; Inmaculada Garrido-Jurado; Nicolai V. Meyling; Enrique Quesada-Moraga; Robert H. A. Coutts; Ioly Kotta-Loizou. 2018. "Mycoviral Population Dynamics in Spanish Isolates of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana." Viruses 10, no. 12: 665.

Preprint
Published: 22 November 2018
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Poliovirus 2A protease (PV2Apro) plays a vital role in viral replication and down-regulation of host cell protein synthesis. In order to understand more concerning PV2Apro, the protein was over-expressed in bacteria following amplification using sense and antisense primers and cloning in pET15b. Several expression hosts were tested and BL21 (DE3) pLysS cells gave the best expression of PV2Apro with minimal unwanted protein expression following IPTG induction. The 2Apro protein was purified to homogeneity using column chromatography, its solubility determined and its molecular weight and composition determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The protease was found in the insoluble fraction and the purified protein had a slightly lower molecular weight than predicted. Moreover, three dimensional structure was modelled using template 1z8r with 58% identity and validated using ramachandran plot. Results revealed that most of the residues lie in favoured and allowed regions. These findings could help in a better understanding of PV2Apro structure and inhibition thus, highlighting potential targets for antiviral drug development.

ACS Style

Amna Younus; Muhammad Faraz Bhatti; Nasar Virk; Muhammad Arshad; Hussnain Janjua; Robert Coutts. Characterization of Recombinant Poliovirus 2A Protease; A Potential Anti-Viral Drug Target. 2018, 1 .

AMA Style

Amna Younus, Muhammad Faraz Bhatti, Nasar Virk, Muhammad Arshad, Hussnain Janjua, Robert Coutts. Characterization of Recombinant Poliovirus 2A Protease; A Potential Anti-Viral Drug Target. . 2018; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amna Younus; Muhammad Faraz Bhatti; Nasar Virk; Muhammad Arshad; Hussnain Janjua; Robert Coutts. 2018. "Characterization of Recombinant Poliovirus 2A Protease; A Potential Anti-Viral Drug Target." , no. : 1.

Communication
Published: 08 May 2018 in Viruses
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Mycoviruses are viruses that naturally infect and replicate in fungi. They are widespread in all major fungal groups including plant and animal pathogenic fungi. Several dsRNA mycoviruses have been reported in Aspergillus fumigatus. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification is a version of PCR that enables amplification of different targets simultaneously. This technique has been widely used for detection and differentiation of viruses especially plant viruses such as those which infect tobacco, potato and garlic. For rapid detection, multiplex RT-PCR was developed to screen new isolates for the presence of A. fumigatus mycoviruses. Aspergillus fumigatus chrysovirus (AfuCV), Aspergillus fumigatus partitivirus (AfuPV-1), and Aspergillus fumigatus tetramycovirus-1 (AfuTmV-1) dsRNAs were amplified in separate reactions using a mixture of multiplex primer pairs. It was demonstrated that in the presence of a single infection, primer pair mixtures only amplify the corresponding single virus infection. Mixed infections using dual or triple combinations of dsRNA viruses were also amplified simultaneously using multiplex RT-PCR. Up until now, methods for the rapid detection of Aspergillus mycoviruses have been restricted to small scale dsRNA extraction approaches which are laborious and for large numbers of samples not as sensitive as RT-PCR. The multiplex RT-PCR assay developed here will be useful for studies on determining the incidence of A. fumigatus mycoviruses. This is the first report on multiplex detection of A. fumigatus mycoviruses.

ACS Style

Selin Özkan-Kotiloğlu; Robert H. A. Coutts. Multiplex Detection of Aspergillus fumigatus Mycoviruses. Viruses 2018, 10, 247 .

AMA Style

Selin Özkan-Kotiloğlu, Robert H. A. Coutts. Multiplex Detection of Aspergillus fumigatus Mycoviruses. Viruses. 2018; 10 (5):247.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Selin Özkan-Kotiloğlu; Robert H. A. Coutts. 2018. "Multiplex Detection of Aspergillus fumigatus Mycoviruses." Viruses 10, no. 5: 247.

Journal article
Published: 30 May 2017 in BMC Genomics
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Mycoviruses are viruses that naturally infect and replicate in fungi. Aspergillus fumigatus, an opportunistic pathogen causing fungal lung diseases in humans and animals, was recently shown to harbour several different types of mycoviruses. A well-characterised defence against virus infection is RNA silencing. The A. fumigatus genome encodes essential components of the RNA silencing machinery, including Dicer, Argonaute and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) homologues. Active silencing of double-stranded (ds)RNA and the generation of small RNAs (sRNAs) has been shown for several mycoviruses and it is anticipated that a similar mechanism will be activated in A. fumigatus isolates infected with mycoviruses. To investigate the existence and nature of A. fumigatus sRNAs, sRNA-seq libraries of virus-free and virus-infected isolates were created using Scriptminer adapters and compared. Three dsRNA viruses were investigated: Aspergillus fumigatus partitivirus-1 (AfuPV-1, PV), Aspergillus fumigatus chrysovirus (AfuCV, CV) and Aspergillus fumigatus tetramycovirus-1 (AfuTmV-1, NK) which were selected because they induce phenotypic changes such as coloration and sectoring. The dsRNAs of all three viruses, which included two conventionally encapsidated ones PV and CV and one unencapsidated example NK, were silenced and yielded characteristic vsiRNAs together with co-incidental silencing of host fungal genes which shared sequence homology with the viral genomes. Virus-derived sRNAs were detected and characterised in the presence of virus infection. Differentially expressed A. fumigatus microRNA-like (miRNA-like) sRNAs and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were detected and validated. Host sRNA loci which were differentially expressed as a result of virus infection were also identified. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the sRNA profiles of A. fumigatus isolates.

ACS Style

Selin Özkan; Irina Mohorianu; Ping Xu; Tamas Dalmay; Robert H. A. Coutts. Profile and functional analysis of small RNAs derived from Aspergillus fumigatus infected with double-stranded RNA mycoviruses. BMC Genomics 2017, 18, 416 .

AMA Style

Selin Özkan, Irina Mohorianu, Ping Xu, Tamas Dalmay, Robert H. A. Coutts. Profile and functional analysis of small RNAs derived from Aspergillus fumigatus infected with double-stranded RNA mycoviruses. BMC Genomics. 2017; 18 (1):416.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Selin Özkan; Irina Mohorianu; Ping Xu; Tamas Dalmay; Robert H. A. Coutts. 2017. "Profile and functional analysis of small RNAs derived from Aspergillus fumigatus infected with double-stranded RNA mycoviruses." BMC Genomics 18, no. 1: 416.

Communication
Published: 14 June 2016 in Viruses
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Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), a bipartite whitefly-transmitted virus, constitutes a major threat to commercial cucurbit production worldwide. Here, construction of full-length CYSDV RNA1 and RNA2 cDNA clones allowed the in vitro synthesis of RNA transcripts able to replicate in cucumber protoplasts. CYSDV RNA1 proved competent for replication; transcription of both polarities of the genomic RNA was detectable 24 h post inoculation. Hybridization of total RNA extracted from transfected protoplasts or from naturally CYSDV-infected cucurbits revealed high-level transcription of the p22 subgenomic RNA species. Replication of CYSDV RNA2 following co-transfection with RNA1 was also observed, with similar transcription kinetics. A CYSDV RNA2 cDNA clone (T3CM8Δ) comprising the 5′- and 3′-UTRs plus the 3′-terminal gene, generated a 2.8 kb RNA able to replicate to high levels in protoplasts in the presence of CYSDV RNA1. The clone T3CM8Δ will facilitate reverse genetics studies of CYSDV gene function and RNA replication determinants.

ACS Style

Carolyn A. Owen; Romy Moukarzel; Xiao Huang; Mona A. Kassem; Eleonora Eliasco; Miguel A. Aranda; Robert H. A. Coutts; Ioannis C. Livieratos. In Vitro Synthesized RNA Generated from cDNA Clones of Both Genomic Components of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus Replicates in Cucumber Protoplasts. Viruses 2016, 8, 170 .

AMA Style

Carolyn A. Owen, Romy Moukarzel, Xiao Huang, Mona A. Kassem, Eleonora Eliasco, Miguel A. Aranda, Robert H. A. Coutts, Ioannis C. Livieratos. In Vitro Synthesized RNA Generated from cDNA Clones of Both Genomic Components of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus Replicates in Cucumber Protoplasts. Viruses. 2016; 8 (6):170.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carolyn A. Owen; Romy Moukarzel; Xiao Huang; Mona A. Kassem; Eleonora Eliasco; Miguel A. Aranda; Robert H. A. Coutts; Ioannis C. Livieratos. 2016. "In Vitro Synthesized RNA Generated from cDNA Clones of Both Genomic Components of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus Replicates in Cucumber Protoplasts." Viruses 8, no. 6: 170.

Journal article
Published: 02 July 2015 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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We report the discovery and characterization of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus isolated from the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus fumigatus tetramycovirus-1 (AfuTmV-1), which reveals several unique features not found previously in positive-strand RNA viruses, including the fact that it represents the first dsRNA (to our knowledge) that is not only infectious as a purified entity but also as a naked dsRNA. The AfuTmV-1 genome consists of four capped dsRNAs, the largest of which encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) containing a unique GDNQ motif normally characteristic of negative-strand RNA viruses. The third largest dsRNA encodes an S-adenosyl methionine–dependent methyltransferase capping enzyme and the smallest dsRNA a P-A-S–rich protein that apparently coats but does not encapsidate the viral genome as visualized by atomic force microscopy. A combination of a capping enzyme with a picorna-like RdRP in the AfuTmV-1 genome is a striking case of chimerism and the first example (to our knowledge) of such a phenomenon. AfuTmV-1 appears to be intermediate between dsRNA and positive-strand ssRNA viruses, as well as between encapsidated and capsidless RNA viruses.

ACS Style

Lakkhana Kanhayuwa; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Selin Özkan; A. Patrick Gunning; Robert H. A. Coutts. A novel mycovirus from Aspergillus fumigatus contains four unique dsRNAs as its genome and is infectious as dsRNA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2015, 112, 9100 -9105.

AMA Style

Lakkhana Kanhayuwa, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Selin Özkan, A. Patrick Gunning, Robert H. A. Coutts. A novel mycovirus from Aspergillus fumigatus contains four unique dsRNAs as its genome and is infectious as dsRNA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2015; 112 (29):9100-9105.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lakkhana Kanhayuwa; Ioly Kotta-Loizou; Selin Özkan; A. Patrick Gunning; Robert H. A. Coutts. 2015. "A novel mycovirus from Aspergillus fumigatus contains four unique dsRNAs as its genome and is infectious as dsRNA." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112, no. 29: 9100-9105.