Group A rotaviruses (RVAs) are a major cause of severe enteritis in humans and animals. RVAs have been identified in several animal species and their genetic diversity, the segmented nature of their RNA genome and the ability to spill over from one species to another can generate new RVA strains. In this study, we investigated the genome constellations of an unusual, rare, bovine RVA strain, G15P[21], identified from a farm with neonatal diarrhoea of calves in 2006. In parallel, the genome constellations of other RVA strains with different G/P types identified from the same farm in the same time span (2006–2008) were analysed. The genome constellation of strain K53 was G15-P[21]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A13-N2-T9-E2-H3 and was similar, overall, to that of the other bovine RVA strains (G6/10-P[11]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A13-N2-T6-E2-H3) with the exception of the NSP3 segment (T9 vs T6). This study describes RVA genomes with different genotype combinations isolated at a farm and also contributes to the understanding of the diversity and evaluation of rotavirus in a global context.

Host metabolic fitness is a critical determinant of infectious disease outcomes. Obesity, aging, and other related metabolic disorders are recognized as high-risk disease modifiers for respiratory infections, including coronavirus infections, though the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Our study highlights fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), a key regulator of metabolic dysfunction and inflammation, as a modulator of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, correlating strongly with disease severity in COVID-19 patients. We demonstrate that loss of FABP4 function, by genetic or pharmacological means, reduces SARS-CoV-2 replication and disrupts the formation of viral replication organelles in adipocytes and airway epithelial cells. Importantly, FABP4 inhibitor treatment of infected hamsters diminished lung viral titers, alleviated lung damage and reduced collagen deposition. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting host metabolism in limiting coronavirus replication and mitigating the pathogenesis of infection.

The envelope (env) protein of SARS-CoV-2, a pivotal component of the viral architecture, plays a multifaceted role in viral assembly, replication, pathogenesis, and ion channel activity. These features make it a significant target for understanding virus–host interactions and developing vaccines to combat COVID-19. Recent structural studies provide valuable insights into the conformational dynamics and membrane topology of the SARS-CoV-2 env protein, shedding light on its functional mechanisms. The strong homology and highly conserved structure of the SARS-CoV-2 env protein shape its immunogenicity and functional characteristics. This study examines the ability of the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 env protein to stimulate an immune response. In this study, recombinant envelope proteins were produced using the baculovirus expression system, and their potential efficacy was evaluated in both in vivo and in vitro models. Our results reveal that the env protein of SARS-CoV-2 stimulates humoral and cellular responses and highlight its potential as a promising vaccine candidate for combating the ongoing pandemic.

Various microbial agents have been found in the feces of both humans and animals, especially in newborns. While some of these agents are recognized as causing diarrhea, the role of others, specifically bopiviruses of the family Picornaviridae, in diarrhea remains uncertain. In this study, we conducted an analysis of 214 fecal samples from cattle (n = 114), sheep (n = 82), and goats (n = 18) with diarrhea, collected from farms across 17 different provinces in Türkiye. All samples were tested using RT-PCR targeting the 3D^(RdRp) region of bopiviruses, and two samples from sheep (2.4%) tested positive. The 7303 nt-long complete coding sequence of Bopivirus/Sheep/KS-1M/2024/TUR and partial 3D^(RdRp), VP3, and 2A-2C sequences of Bopivirus/Sheep/ANK-K30/2017/TUR were determined by additional RT-PCR, 3′RACE-PCR reactions and Sanger sequencing. Both strains show close sequence and phylogenetic relationship to members of species “Bopivirus B” of genus Bopivirus. Bopivirus/Sheep/KS-1M/2024/TUR is most closely related to a sheep Bopivirus B strain (sheep/14-73/2018/ITA) from Italy, but the phylogenetic separation, the low sequence identities and high p-distance values in VP1 to existing genotypes of “B1” and “B2” suggest that both strains could belong to novel genotypes (“B3” and “B4”) in species “Bopivirus B”, although additional closely related sequences are necessary for proper typing.