Functional analysis of the M segment non-structural protein (NSm) of Orthobunyavirus Oropouche

• Grant number: 15/05354-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2015
• End date: October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Eurico de Arruda Neto
• Grantee: Marjorie Cornejo Pontelli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/02438-6 - Studies with Bunyaviridae that produce human disease, AP.TEM

Abstract

Oropouche virus (OROV) belongs to the family Bunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus, serogroup Simbu, and is the second most frequent cause of arboviral illness in Brazil, surpassed only by dengue. OROV is transmitted by the bite of the vector Culicoides paraensis and causes acute febrile disease in humans, with significant public health impact, mainly in the Amazon. OROV genome is composed by 3 RNA segments (L, M e S) coding for 3 structural proteins, plus the polymerase and 2 other nonstructural proteins - NSm e NSs. NSs is a virulence factor for other members of the genus Orthobunyavirus, but very little is known about NSm. Evidence from studies done with other Bunyaviridae have shown that NSm plays roles in assembly and morphogenesis of virus particles, and also is synergic with NSs in the control of interferon response to Schmallemberg virus, which is also in the genus Orthobunyavirus. However, nothing is known about the functions of NSm in OROV. This project aims at investigating the role of OROV NSm in virus-cell interaction at cellular and organismal levels using in vitro and in vivo models. We want to determine the cellular localization of NSm during OROV replication; characterize in vitro and in vivo the effects of OROV devoid of NSm (rOROV”NSm); analize the effect of heterologous expression of NSm, as well as the co-expression of NSm and NSs in mammal and arthropod cells; make OROV and rOROV”NSm tagged with a fluorescent protein to study dispersal and pathogenesis in experimental animals by intra-vital microscopy. This PhD project is part of the FAPESP Thematic Projetct process 2014/02438-6, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo.

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)

SABINO-SANTOS, JR., GILBERTO; MOTTA MAIA, FELIPE GONCALVES; MARTINS, RONALDO BRAGANCA; GAGLIARDI, TALITA BIANCA; DE SOUZA, WILLIAM MARCIEL; MUYLAERT, RENATA LARA; DE SOUZA LUNA, LUCIANO KLEBER; MELO, DANILO MACHADO; CARDOSO, RICARDO DE SOUZA; BARBOSA, NATALIA DA SILVA; et al. Natural infection of Neotropical bats with hantavirus in Brazil. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 8, JUN 13 2018. (12/03700-0, 12/04096-0, 16/02568-2, 12/24150-9, 15/05354-0, 13/06380-0, 11/19897-5, 11/06810-9, 14/02438-6, 11/22663-6, 15/06142-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PONTELLI, Marjorie Cornejo. Functional analysis of the non-structural protein of the M (NSm) segment of orthobunyavirus Oropouche. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.