Reverse genetics of Oropouche virus: generation of mutants with truncated and deleted non structural NSs protein

• Grant number: 13/02798-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: August 04, 2013
• End date: August 03, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Eurico de Arruda Neto
• Grantee: Gustavo Olszanski Acrani
• Supervisor: Richard Michael Elliott
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Glasgow, Scotland
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/19473-3 - Reverse genetics for Oropouche virus: role of the non structural protein NSs in apoptosis induction and antagonism of Type I IFN., BP.PD

Abstract

The Oropouche virus (OROV) is the second most frequent arboviral ilness in Brazil, with more than 0.5 million cases documented in the last 30 years. OROV occurs predominantly in the Amazon region, but has been isolated in the Southeast. The pathogenesis of OROV infection is not completely known. It was recently demonstrated that the virus induces apoptosis and that this effect requires the synthesis of viral proteins. Studies indicate that NSs non-structural proteins from other Bunyaviruses are important in the control of apoptosis and type I IFN antagonism. The proposed study aims to evaluate the role of Oropouche NSs protein in the induction of apoptosis, shut-off of protein synthesis and antagonism of IFN type I. To this end, we are proposing to produce an infectious clone of OROV by reverse genetics, one which will yield recombinant viruses with different regions of this protein truncated, in order to study the role of the NSs protein in virus replication and its role in phatogenesis. This study is proposed to be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Richard M. Elliott, from the Centre for Virus Research, at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, with fundings from the FAPESP BEPE program (Bolsa Estágio de Pesquisa no Exterior). This study is important for understanding the cell biology of OROV and characterize a probable pro-apoptotic protein of Bunyavirus. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TILSTON-LUNEL, NATASHA L.; ACRANI, GUSTAVO OLSZANSKI; RANDALL, RICHARD E.; ELLIOTT, RICHARD M.. Generation of Recombinant Oropouche Viruses Lacking the Nonstructural Protein NSm or NSs. Journal of Virology, v. 90, n. 5, p. 2616-2627, MAR 2016. (13/02798-0)

ACRANI, GUSTAVO OLSZANSKI; TILSTON-LUNEL, NATASHA L.; SPIEGEL, MARTIN; WEIDMANN, MANFRED; DILCHER, MEIK; ANDRADE DA SILVA, DAISY ELAINE; NUNES, MARCIA R. T.; ELLIOTT, RICHARD M.. Establishment of a minigenome system for Oropouche virus reveals the S genome segment to be significantly longer than reported previously. JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY, v. 96, p. 11-pg., 2015-03-01. (13/02798-0)

ACRANI, GUSTAVO OLSZANSKI; TILSTON-LUNEL, NATASHA L.; SPIEGEL, MARTIN; WEIDMANN, MANFRED; DILCHER, MEIK; ANDRADE DA SILVA, DAISY ELAINE; NUNES, MARCIA R. T.; ELLIOTT, RICHARD M.. Establishment of a minigenome system for Oropouche virus reveals the S genome segment to be significantly longer than reported previously. JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY, v. 96, n. 3, p. 513-523, MAR 2015. (13/02798-0)