Backgrounds and Aims: Coxsakievirus B3 (CVB3), one of the six Coxsakievirus B serotypes, is a member of the Enterovirus genus within the Picornaviridae family. CVB3 is an important pathogen of viral myocarditis, which accounts for more than 50% of viral myocarditis cases. The genome of CVB3, like that of other Entroviruses, is a single-stranded, sense, polyadenylated RNA molecule with 7400 nucl...

Laboratory strains of the mouse polyoma virus differ markedly in their abilities to replicate and induce tumors in newborn mice. Major determinants of pathogenicity lie in the sialic binding pocket of the major capsid protein Vp1 and dictate receptor-binding properties of the virus. Substitutions at two sites in Vp1 define three prototype strains, which vary greatly in pathogenicity. These stra...

The role of phosphorylation in the dissociation of structural components of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) tegument was investigated, using an in vitro assay. Addition of physiological concentrations of ATP and magnesium to wild-type virions in the presence of detergent promoted the release of VP13/14 and VP22. VP1/2 and the UL13 protein kinase were not significantly solubilized. Howev...

The foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes a vesicular and contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals. In this study, the virus was isolated from vesicles of the infected cattle using cell culture and serotyped by ELISA test. The extracted RNA from the infected cells was reverse transcribed and amplified using VP1 gene-specific primer pairs by means of one-step RT-PCR. The purified VP1 gen...

BACKGROUND Polyoma virus type BK (BKV) nephritis has emerged as an important cause of renal allograft dysfunction and graft failure. Its diagnosis is contingent on the invasive procedure of allograft biopsy. A noninvasive diagnostic test for BKV nephritis could improve clinical outcome. METHODS We obtained 25 urine specimens from 8 renal allograft recipients with biopsy-confirmed BKV nephriti...

The ongoing conflict between viruses and their hosts can drive the co-evolution between host immune genes and viral suppressors of immunity. It has been suggested that an evolutionary 'arms race' may occur between rapidly evolving components of the antiviral RNAi pathway of Drosophila and viral genes that antagonize it. We have recently shown that viral protein 1 (VP1) of Drosophila melanogaste...

UNLABELLED Replication and packaging of the rotavirus genome occur in cytoplasmic compartments called viroplasms, which form during virus infection. These processes are orchestrated by yet-to-be-understood complex networks of interactions involving nonstructural proteins (NSPs) 2, 5, and 6 and structural proteins (VPs) 1, 2, 3, and 6. The multifunctional enzyme NSP2, an octamer with RNA binding...

BACKGROUND Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are often linked to respiratory infections. However, it is unknown if COPD patients who experience frequent exacerbations have impaired humoral immunity. The aim of this study was to determine if antibodies specific for common respiratory pathogens are associated with AECOPD. METHODS Plasma was obtained from COPD...