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Dr. A. Lorena Passarelli
Kansas State University

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0 Gene Regulation
0 Viruses
0 Baculoviruses
0 AcMNPV
0 Insect viruses

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Baculoviruses
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Insect viruses

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Journal article
Published: 26 August 2020 in Viruses
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Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are conserved among vertebrate and invertebrate animals and function in cell proliferation, cell differentiation, tissue repair, and embryonic development. A viral fibroblast growth factor (vFGF) homolog encoded by baculoviruses, a group of insect viruses, is involved in escape of baculoviruses from the insect midgut by stimulating basal lamina remodeling. This led us to investigate whether cellular FGF is involved in the escape of an arbovirus from mosquito midgut. In this study, the effects of manipulating FGF expression on Sindbis virus (SINV) replication and escape from the midgut of the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti were examined. RNAi-mediated silencing of either Ae. aegypti FGF (AeFGF) or FGF receptor (AeFGFR) expression reduced SINV replication following oral infection of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. However, overexpression of baculovirus vFGF using recombinant SINV constructs had no effect on replication of these viruses in cultured mosquito or vertebrate cells, or in orally infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. We conclude that reducing FGF signaling decreases the ability of SINV to replicate in mosquitoes, but that overexpression of vFGF has no effect, possibly because endogenous FGF levels are already sufficient for optimal virus replication. These results support the hypothesis that FGF signaling, possibly by inducing remodeling of midgut basal lamina, is involved in arbovirus midgut escape following virus acquisition from a blood meal.

ACS Style

Wenbi Wu; Cody A. Simmons; Jessica Moffitt; Rollie J. Clem; A. Lorena Passarelli. Effects of Manipulating Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression on Sindbis Virus Replication In Vitro and in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Viruses 2020, 12, 943 .

AMA Style

Wenbi Wu, Cody A. Simmons, Jessica Moffitt, Rollie J. Clem, A. Lorena Passarelli. Effects of Manipulating Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression on Sindbis Virus Replication In Vitro and in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Viruses. 2020; 12 (9):943.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wenbi Wu; Cody A. Simmons; Jessica Moffitt; Rollie J. Clem; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2020. "Effects of Manipulating Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression on Sindbis Virus Replication In Vitro and in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes." Viruses 12, no. 9: 943.

Review
Published: 08 July 2015 in Viruses
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Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) circulate in nature between arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts. Arboviruses often cause devastating diseases in vertebrate hosts, but they typically do not cause significant pathology in their arthropod vectors. Following oral acquisition of a viremic bloodmeal from a vertebrate host, the arbovirus disease cycle requires replication in the cellular environment of the arthropod vector. Once the vector has become systemically and persistently infected, the vector is able to transmit the virus to an uninfected vertebrate host. In order to systemically infect the vector, the virus must cope with innate immune responses and overcome several tissue barriers associated with the midgut and the salivary glands. In this review we describe, in detail, the typical arbovirus infection route in competent mosquito vectors. Based on what is known from the literature, we explain the nature of the tissue barriers that arboviruses are confronted with in a mosquito vector and how arboviruses might surmount these barriers. We also point out controversial findings to highlight particular areas that are not well understood and require further research efforts.

ACS Style

Alexander W. E. Franz; Asher M. Kantor; A. Lorena Passarelli; Rollie J. Clem. Tissue Barriers to Arbovirus Infection in Mosquitoes. Viruses 2015, 7, 3741 -3767.

AMA Style

Alexander W. E. Franz, Asher M. Kantor, A. Lorena Passarelli, Rollie J. Clem. Tissue Barriers to Arbovirus Infection in Mosquitoes. Viruses. 2015; 7 (7):3741-3767.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alexander W. E. Franz; Asher M. Kantor; A. Lorena Passarelli; Rollie J. Clem. 2015. "Tissue Barriers to Arbovirus Infection in Mosquitoes." Viruses 7, no. 7: 3741-3767.

Journal article
Published: 17 March 2015 in Virology
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The Cydia pomonella granulovirus open reading frame 46 (CpGV-ORF46) contains predicted domains found in matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases that degrade extracellular matrix proteins. We showed that CpGV-MMP was active in vitro. Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) expressing CpGV-ORF46 replicated similarly to a control virus lacking CpGV-ORF46 in cultured cells. The effects of AcMNPV expressing CpGV-MMP on virus infection in cultured cells and Trichoplusia ni larvae in the presence or absence of other viral degradative enzymes, cathepsin and chitinase, were evaluated. In the absence of cathepsin and chitinase or cathepsin alone, larval time of death was significantly delayed. This delay was compensated by the expression of CpGV-MMP. CpGV-MMP was also able to promote larvae melanization in the absence of cathepsin and chitinase. In addition, CpGV-MMP partially substituted for cathepsin in larvae liquefaction when chitinase, which is usually retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, was engineered to be secreted.

ACS Style

Egide Ishimwe; Jeffrey J. Hodgson; A. Lorena Passarelli. Expression of the Cydia pomonella granulovirus matrix metalloprotease enhances Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus virulence and can partially substitute for viral cathepsin. Virology 2015, 481, 166 -178.

AMA Style

Egide Ishimwe, Jeffrey J. Hodgson, A. Lorena Passarelli. Expression of the Cydia pomonella granulovirus matrix metalloprotease enhances Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus virulence and can partially substitute for viral cathepsin. Virology. 2015; 481 ():166-178.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Egide Ishimwe; Jeffrey J. Hodgson; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2015. "Expression of the Cydia pomonella granulovirus matrix metalloprotease enhances Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus virulence and can partially substitute for viral cathepsin." Virology 481, no. : 166-178.

Review article
Published: 25 February 2015 in Virology
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Baculovirus infection of a host insect involves several steps, beginning with initiation of virus infection in the midgut, followed by dissemination of infection from the midgut to other tissues in the insect, and finally culminating in “melting” or liquefaction of the host, which allows for horizontal spread of infection to other insects. While all of the viral gene products are involved in ultimately reaching this dramatic infection endpoint, this review focuses on two particular types of baculovirus-encoded proteins: degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors. Neither of these types of proteins is commonly found in other virus families, but they both play important roles in baculovirus infection. The types of degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors encoded by baculoviruses are discussed, as are the roles of these proteins in the infection process.

ACS Style

Egide Ishimwe; Jeffrey J. Hodgson; Rollie J. Clem; A. Lorena Passarelli. Reaching the melting point: Degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors involved in baculovirus infection and dissemination. Virology 2015, 479-480, 637 -649.

AMA Style

Egide Ishimwe, Jeffrey J. Hodgson, Rollie J. Clem, A. Lorena Passarelli. Reaching the melting point: Degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors involved in baculovirus infection and dissemination. Virology. 2015; 479-480 ():637-649.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Egide Ishimwe; Jeffrey J. Hodgson; Rollie J. Clem; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2015. "Reaching the melting point: Degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors involved in baculovirus infection and dissemination." Virology 479-480, no. : 637-649.

Journal article
Published: 13 June 2014 in Virology
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The Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus ac92 is a conserved baculovirus gene with homology to flavin adenine dinucleotide-linked sulfhydryl oxidases. Its product, Ac92, is a functional sulfhydryl oxidase. Deletion of ac92 results in almost negligible levels of budded virus (BV) production, defects in occlusion-derived virus (ODV) co-envelopment and their inefficient incorporation into occlusion bodies. To determine the role of sulfhydryl oxidation in the production of BV, envelopment of nucleocapsids, and nucleocapsid incorporation into occlusion bodies, the Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus ortholog, tn79, was substituted for ac92. Tn79 was found to be an active sulfhydryl oxidase that substituted for Ac92, resulting in the production of infectious BV, albeit about 10-fold less than an ac92-containing virus. Tn79 rescued defects in ODV morphogenesis caused by a lack of ac92. Active Tn79 sulfhydryl oxidase activity is required for efficient BV production, ODV envelopment, and their subsequent incorporation into occlusion bodies in the absence of ac92.

ACS Style

Stian A. Clem; Wenbi Wu; A. Lorena Passarelli. The Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus tn79 gene encodes a functional sulfhydryl oxidase enzyme that is able to support the replication of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus lacking the sulfhydryl oxidase ac92 gene. Virology 2014, 460-461, 207 -216.

AMA Style

Stian A. Clem, Wenbi Wu, A. Lorena Passarelli. The Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus tn79 gene encodes a functional sulfhydryl oxidase enzyme that is able to support the replication of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus lacking the sulfhydryl oxidase ac92 gene. Virology. 2014; 460-461 ():207-216.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stian A. Clem; Wenbi Wu; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2014. "The Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus tn79 gene encodes a functional sulfhydryl oxidase enzyme that is able to support the replication of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus lacking the sulfhydryl oxidase ac92 gene." Virology 460-461, no. : 207-216.

Journal article
Published: 10 January 2014 in Current Tropical Medicine Reports
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Aedes aegypti is the principal vector of dengue virus (DENV) throughout the tropical world. This anthropophilic mosquito species needs to be persistently infected with DENV before it can transmit the virus through its saliva to a new vertebrate host. In the mosquito, DENV is confronted with several innate immune pathways, among which RNA interference is considered the most important. The Ae. aegypti genome project opened the doors for advanced molecular studies on pathogen–vector interactions, including genetic manipulation of the vector for basic research and vector control purposes. Thus, Ae. aegypti has become the primary model for studying vector competence for arboviruses at the molecular level. Here, we present recent findings regarding DENV–mosquito interactions, emphasizing how innate immune responses modulate DENV infections in Ae. aegypti. We also describe the latest advancements in genetic manipulation of Ae. aegypti and discuss how this technology can be used to investigate vector transmission of DENV at the molecular level and to control transmission of the virus in the field.

ACS Style

Alexander W. E. Franz; Rollie J. Clem; A. Lorena Passarelli. Novel Genetic and Molecular Tools for the Investigation and Control of Dengue Virus Transmission by Mosquitoes. Current Tropical Medicine Reports 2014, 1, 21 -31.

AMA Style

Alexander W. E. Franz, Rollie J. Clem, A. Lorena Passarelli. Novel Genetic and Molecular Tools for the Investigation and Control of Dengue Virus Transmission by Mosquitoes. Current Tropical Medicine Reports. 2014; 1 (1):21-31.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alexander W. E. Franz; Rollie J. Clem; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2014. "Novel Genetic and Molecular Tools for the Investigation and Control of Dengue Virus Transmission by Mosquitoes." Current Tropical Medicine Reports 1, no. 1: 21-31.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2013 in Virology
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The Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) sulfhydryl oxidase Ac92 is essential for production of infectious virions. Ac92 also interacts with human p53 and enhances human p53-induced apoptosis in insect cells, but it is not known whether any relationship exists between Ac92 and native p53 homologs from insect hosts of AcMNPV. We found that Ac92 interacted with SfP53 from Spodoptera frugiperda in infected cells and oxidized SfP53 in vitro. However, Ac92 did not interact with or oxidize a mutant of SfP53 predicted to lack DNA binding. Silencing Sfp53 expression did not rescue the ability of an ac92-knockout virus to produce infectious virus. Similarly, ac92 expression did not affect SfP53-stimulated caspase activity or the localization of SfP53. Thus, although Ac92 binds to SfP53 during AcMNPV replication and oxidizes SfP53 in vitro, we could not detect any effects of this interaction on AcMNPV replication in cultured cells.

ACS Style

Wenbi Wu; Rollie J. Clem; George F. Rohrmann; A. Lorena Passarelli. The baculovirus sulfhydryl oxidase Ac92 (P33) interacts with the Spodoptera frugiperda P53 protein and oxidizes it in vitro. Virology 2013, 447, 197 -207.

AMA Style

Wenbi Wu, Rollie J. Clem, George F. Rohrmann, A. Lorena Passarelli. The baculovirus sulfhydryl oxidase Ac92 (P33) interacts with the Spodoptera frugiperda P53 protein and oxidizes it in vitro. Virology. 2013; 447 (1-2):197-207.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wenbi Wu; Rollie J. Clem; George F. Rohrmann; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2013. "The baculovirus sulfhydryl oxidase Ac92 (P33) interacts with the Spodoptera frugiperda P53 protein and oxidizes it in vitro." Virology 447, no. 1-2: 197-207.

Review article
Published: 15 March 2011 in Virology
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The mechanisms used by baculoviruses to exit the midgut and cause systemic infection of their insect hosts have been debated for decades. After being ingested, baculoviruses reach the midgut, where several host barriers need to be overcome in order to establish successful infection. One of these barriers is the basal lamina, a presumably virus-impermeable extracellular layer secreted by the epithelial cells lining the midgut and trachea. This review discusses new evidence that demonstrates how these viruses breach the basal lamina and establish efficient systemic infections. The biochemical mechanisms involved in dismantling basal lamina during baculovirus infection may also provide new insights into the process of basal lamina remodeling in invertebrate and vertebrate animals.

ACS Style

A. Lorena Passarelli. Barriers to success: How baculoviruses establish efficient systemic infections. Virology 2011, 411, 383 -392.

AMA Style

A. Lorena Passarelli. Barriers to success: How baculoviruses establish efficient systemic infections. Virology. 2011; 411 (2):383-392.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. Lorena Passarelli. 2011. "Barriers to success: How baculoviruses establish efficient systemic infections." Virology 411, no. 2: 383-392.

Journal article
Published: 05 December 2009 in Virology
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The Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) viral fibroblast growth factor (vFGF) has functional parallels to cellular FGFs. Deletion of the AcMNPV vfgf has no obvious phenotype in cell culture but delays the time of insect death. Here, we determined vFGF production during virus infection. vFGF was detected at 24 hours post infection and through the remainder of the infection cycle. Since vFGF is thought to be a secreted membrane-binding protein and virions acquire an envelope derived from the cell membrane, we examined virions for the presence of vFGF using microscopy, flow cytometry, and affinity chromatography. We found that vFGF associated with virions. Furthermore, budded virus carrying vFGF had more affinity to heparin than vFGF-deficient budded virus, consistent with the affinity of FGFs for heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Although the function of virion-associated vFGF is not clear, we found that virion-associated vFGF stimulated cell motility and affected virus attachment.

ACS Style

Christopher Jon Lehiy; Olga Martinez; A. Lorena Passarelli. Virion-associated viral fibroblast growth factor stimulates cell motility. Virology 2009, 395, 152 -160.

AMA Style

Christopher Jon Lehiy, Olga Martinez, A. Lorena Passarelli. Virion-associated viral fibroblast growth factor stimulates cell motility. Virology. 2009; 395 (1):152-160.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Christopher Jon Lehiy; Olga Martinez; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2009. "Virion-associated viral fibroblast growth factor stimulates cell motility." Virology 395, no. 1: 152-160.

Journal article
Published: 30 November 2008 in Journal of Virological Methods
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Virus stability and infectivity during stressful conditions was assessed to establish guidelines for future virus filtration experiments and to contribute to the body of knowledge on a widely used virus. A recombinant baculovirus of Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), vHSGFP, was incubated at 15–65 °C. A 2-log decrease in virus infectivity occurred after virus incubation above 45 °C. The activation energy of virus deactivation was circa 108 kJ/mol. Dynamic light scattering revealed an increase in apparent virus particle size from 150 ± 19 to 249 ± 13 nm at 55 °C. Protein and DNA concentrations in solution correlated well with virus aggregation as temperature was increased. Infectivity of vHSGFP stored for 5 months at 4 °C or exposed to shear stress from stirring (100 rpm, 1.02 × 10−5 psi) and pumping (50–250 ml/min, 1.45 × 10−5 to 7.25 × 10−5 psi) did not change with time. Unlike temperature variations, cold storage and shear stress appeared to have little impact on infectivity.

ACS Style

Ronald Michalsky; Peter H. Pfromm; Peter Czermak; Christopher M. Sorensen; A. Lorena Passarelli. Effects of temperature and shear force on infectivity of the baculovirus Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus. Journal of Virological Methods 2008, 153, 90 -96.

AMA Style

Ronald Michalsky, Peter H. Pfromm, Peter Czermak, Christopher M. Sorensen, A. Lorena Passarelli. Effects of temperature and shear force on infectivity of the baculovirus Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus. Journal of Virological Methods. 2008; 153 (2):90-96.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ronald Michalsky; Peter H. Pfromm; Peter Czermak; Christopher M. Sorensen; A. Lorena Passarelli. 2008. "Effects of temperature and shear force on infectivity of the baculovirus Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus." Journal of Virological Methods 153, no. 2: 90-96.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2007 in Virologica Sinica
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Baculoviruses are the only nuclear replicating DNA-containing viruses that encode their own DNA-directed RNA polymerase (RNAP). The baculovirus RNAP is specific for the transcription of genes expressed after virus DNA replication. It is composed of four subunits, making it the simplest multisubunit RNAP known. Two subunits contain motifs found at the catalytic center of other RNAPs and a third has capping enzyme functions. The function of the fourth subunit is not known. Structural studies on this unique RNAP will provide new insights into the functions of this enzyme and the regulation of viral genes and may be instrumental to optimize the baculovirus gene expression system.

ACS Style

A. Lorena Passarelli. Baculovirus RNA polymerase: Activities, composition, and evolution. Virologica Sinica 2007, 22, 94 -107.

AMA Style

A. Lorena Passarelli. Baculovirus RNA polymerase: Activities, composition, and evolution. Virologica Sinica. 2007; 22 (2):94-107.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. Lorena Passarelli. 2007. "Baculovirus RNA polymerase: Activities, composition, and evolution." Virologica Sinica 22, no. 2: 94-107.

Journal article
Published: 19 October 2006 in BMC Genomics
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Little is known about the genome sequences of lepidopteran insects, although this group of insects has been studied extensively in the fields of endocrinology, development, immunity, and pathogen-host interactions. In addition, cell lines derived from Spodoptera frugiperda and other lepidopteran insects are routinely used for baculovirus foreign gene expression. This study reports the results of an expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing project in cells from the lepidopteran insect S. frugiperda, the fall armyworm. We have constructed an EST database using two cDNA libraries from the S. frugiperda-derived cell line, SF-21. The database consists of 2,367 ESTs which were assembled into 244 contigs and 951 singlets for a total of 1,195 unique sequences. S. frugiperda is an agriculturally important pest insect and genomic information will be instrumental for establishing initial transcriptional profiling and gene function studies, and for obtaining information about genes manipulated during infections by insect pathogens such as baculoviruses.

ACS Style

Youping Deng; Yinghua Dong; Venkata Thodima; Rollie J Clem; A Lorena Passarelli. Analysis and functional annotation of expressed sequence tags from the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. BMC Genomics 2006, 7, 264 -264.

AMA Style

Youping Deng, Yinghua Dong, Venkata Thodima, Rollie J Clem, A Lorena Passarelli. Analysis and functional annotation of expressed sequence tags from the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. BMC Genomics. 2006; 7 (1):264-264.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Youping Deng; Yinghua Dong; Venkata Thodima; Rollie J Clem; A Lorena Passarelli. 2006. "Analysis and functional annotation of expressed sequence tags from the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda." BMC Genomics 7, no. 1: 264-264.