Intergenic sequences harboring potential enhancer elements contribute to Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome by regulating PITX2.

Recent studies have uncovered that noncoding sequence variants may relate to Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS), a rare developmental anomaly with genetic heterogeneity. However, how these genomic regions are functionally and structurally associated with ARS is still unclear. In this study, we performed genome-wide linkage analysis and whole-genome sequencing in a Chinese family with ARS and identified a heterozygous deletion of about 570 kb (termed LOH-1) in the intergenic sequence between paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2 (PITX2) and family with sequence similarity 241 member A. Knockout of LOH-1 homologous sequences caused ARS phenotypes in mice. RNA-Seq and real-time quantitative PCR revealed a significant reduction in Pitx2 gene expression in LOH-1-/- mice, while forkhead box C1 expression remained unchanged. ChIP-Seq and bioinformatics analysis identified a potential enhancer region (LOH-E1) within LOH-1. Deletion of LOH-E1 led to a substantial downregulation of the PITX2 gene. Mechanistically, we found a sequence (hg38 chr4:111,399,594-111,399,691) that is on LOH-E1 could regulate PITX2 by binding to RAD21, a critical component of the cohesin complex. Knockdown of RAD21 resulted in reduced PITX2 expression. Collectively, our findings indicate that a potential enhancer sequence that is within LOH-1 may regulate PITX2 expression remotely through cohesin-mediated loop domains, leading to ARS when absent.

Whole genome sequencing identifies associations for nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis with the intergenic region of BMP2 and noncoding RNA gene LINC01428.

Craniosynostosis (CS) is a major birth defect resulting from premature fusion of cranial sutures. Nonsyndromic CS occurs more frequently than syndromic CS, with sagittal nonsyndromic craniosynostosis (sNCS) presenting as the most common CS phenotype. Previous genome-wide association and targeted sequencing analyses of sNCS have identified multiple associated loci, with the strongest association on chromosome 20. Herein, we report the first whole-genome sequencing study of sNCS using 63 proband-parent trios. Sequencing data for these trios were analyzed using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and rare variant TDT (rvTDT) to identify high-risk rare gene variants. Sequencing data were also examined for copy number variants (CNVs) and de novo variants. TDT analysis identified a highly significant locus at 20p12.3, localized to the intergenic region between BMP2 and the noncoding RNA gene LINC01428. Three variants (rs6054763, rs6054764, rs932517) were identified as potential causal variants due to their probability of being transcription factor binding sites, deleterious combined annotation dependent depletion scores, and high minor allele enrichment in probands. Morphometric analysis of cranial vault shape in an unaffected cohort validated the effect of these three single nucleotide variants (SNVs) on dolichocephaly. No genome-wide significant rare variants, de novo loci, or CNVs were identified. Future efforts to identify risk variants for sNCS should include sequencing of larger and more diverse population samples and increased omics analyses, such as RNA-seq and ATAC-seq.

Genome composition and GC content influence loci distribution in reduced representation genomic studies.

BACKGROUND: Genomic architecture is a key evolutionary trait for living organisms. Due to multiple complex adaptive and neutral forces which impose evolutionary pressures on genomes, there is a huge variability of genomic features. However, their variability and the extent to which genomic content determines the distribution of recovered loci in reduced representation sequencing studies is largely unexplored. RESULTS: Here, by using 80 genome assemblies, we observed that whereas plants primarily increase their genome size by expanding their intergenic regions, animals expand both intergenic and intronic regions, although the expansion patterns differ between deuterostomes and protostomes. Loci mapping in introns, exons, and intergenic categories obtained by in silico digestion using 2b-enzymes are positively correlated with the percentage of these regions in the corresponding genomes, suggesting that loci distribution mostly mirrors genomic architecture of the selected taxon. However, exonic regions showed a significant enrichment of loci in all groups regardless of the used enzyme. Moreover, when using selective adaptors to obtain a secondarily reduced loci dataset, the percentage and distribution of retained loci also varied. Adaptors with G/C terminals recovered a lower percentage of selected loci, with a further enrichment of exonic regions, while adaptors with A/T terminals retained a higher percentage of loci and slightly selected more intronic regions than expected. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight how genome composition, genome GC content, RAD enzyme choice and use of base-selective adaptors influence reduced genome representation techniques. This is important to acknowledge in population and conservation genomic studies, as it determines the abundance and distribution of loci.

The internal transcribed spacer 1 sequence polymorphism brings updates to tsetse species distribution in the northern Cameroon: Importance in planning efficient vector control.

Vector control remains one of the best strategies to prevent the transmission of trypanosome infections in humans and livestock and, thus, a good way to achieve the elimination of human African trypanosomiasis and animal African trypanosomiasis. A key prerequisite for the success of any vector control strategy is the accurate identification and correct mapping of tsetse species. In this work, we updated the tsetse fly species identification and distribution in many geographical areas in Cameroon. Tsetse flies were captured from six localities in Cameroon, and their species were morphologically identified. Thereafter, DNA was extracted from legs of each tsetse fly and the length polymorphism of internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS1) region of each fly was investigated using PCR. ITS1 DNA fragments of each tsetse species were sequenced. The sequences obtained were analysed and compared to those available in GenBank. This enabled to confirm/infirm results of the morphologic identification and then, to establish the phylogenetic relationships between tsetse species. Morphologic features allowed to clearly distinguish all the tsetse species captured in the South Region of Cameroon, that is, Glossina palpalis palpalis, G. pallicera, G. caliginea and G. nigrofusca. In the northern area, G. morsitans submorsitans could also be distinguished from G. palpalis palpalis, G. tachinoides and G. fuscipes, but these three later could not be distinguished with routine morphological characters. The ITS1 length polymorphism was high among most of the studied species and allowed to identify the following similar species with a single PCR, that is, G. palpalis palpalis with 241 or 242 bp and G. tachinoides with 221 or 222 bp, G. fuscipes with 236 or 237 bp. We also updated the old distribution of tsetse species in the areas assessed, highlighting the presence of G. palpalis palpalis instead of G. fuscipes in Mbakaou, or in sympatry with G. morsitans submorsitans in Dodeo (northern Cameroon). This study confirms the presence of G. palpalis palpalis in the Adamawa Region of Cameroon. It highlights the limits of using morphological criteria to differentiate some tsetse species. Molecular tools based on the polymorphism of ITS1 of tsetse flies can differentiate tsetse species through a simple PCR before downstream analyses or vector control planning.

The Density of Regulatory Information Is a Major Determinant of Evolutionary Constraint on Noncoding DNA in Drosophila.

Evolutionary analyses have estimated that ∼60% of nucleotides in intergenic regions of the Drosophila melanogaster genome are functionally relevant, suggesting that regulatory information may be encoded more densely in intergenic regions than has been revealed by most functional dissections of regulatory DNA. Here, we approached this issue through a functional dissection of the regulatory region of the gene shavenbaby (svb). Most of the ∼90 kb of this large regulatory region is highly conserved in the genus Drosophila, though characterized enhancers occupy a small fraction of this region. By analyzing the regulation of svb in different contexts of Drosophila development, we found that the regulatory information that drives svb expression in the abdominal pupal epidermis is organized in a different way than the elements that drive svb expression in the embryonic epidermis. While in the embryonic epidermis svb is activated by compact enhancers separated by large inactive DNA regions, svb expression in the pupal epidermis is driven by regulatory information distributed over broader regions of svb cis-regulatory DNA. In the same vein, we observed that other developmental genes also display a dense distribution of putative regulatory elements in their regulatory regions. Furthermore, we found that a large percentage of conserved noncoding DNA of the Drosophila genome is contained within regions of open chromatin. These results suggest that part of the evolutionary constraint on noncoding DNA of Drosophila is explained by the density of regulatory information, which may be greater than previously appreciated.

Mitochondrial genome of Hancornia speciosa gomes: intergenic regions containing retrotransposons and predicted genes.

BACKGROUND: Plant mitochondrial genomes are characterized by high homologous recombination, extensive intergenic spacers, conservation in DNA sequences, and gene content. The Hancornia genus belongs to the Apocynaceae family, with H. speciosa Gomes being the sole species in the genus. It is an siganificant commercial fruit crop; however, only a number of studies have been conducted. In this study, we present the mitochondrial genome of H. speciosa and compare it with other mitochondrial genomes within the Apocynaceae family. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 2.8 Gb of Illumina paired-end reads were used to obtain the mitogenome, resulting in 22 contigs that were merged using 6.1 Gb of Illumina mate-pair reads to obtain a circular chromosome. The mitochondrial genome of H. speciosa is circular, containing 63 predicted functional genes, spanning a length of 741,811 bp, with a CG content of 44%. Within the mitogenome, 50 chloroplast DNA sequences, equivalent to 1.72% of the genome, were detected. However, intergenic spaces accounted for 703,139 bp (94.79% of the genome), and 287 genes were predicted, totaling 173,721 bp. CONCLUSION: This suggests the incorporation of nuclear DNA into the mitogenome of H. speciosa and self duplication. Comparative analysis among the mitogenomes in the Apocynaceae family revealed a diversity in the structure mediated by recombination, with similar gene content and large intergenic spaces.

Genetic Modification of a Hox Locus Drives Mimetic Color Pattern Variation in a Highly Polymorphic Bumble Bee.

Müllerian mimicry provides natural replicates ideal for exploring mechanisms underlying adaptive phenotypic divergence and convergence, yet the genetic mechanisms underlying mimetic variation remain largely unknown. The current study investigates the genetic basis of mimetic color pattern variation in a highly polymorphic bumble bee, Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera, Apidae). In South Asia, this species and multiple comimetic species converge onto local Müllerian mimicry patterns by shifting the abdominal setal color from orange to black. Genetic crossing between the orange and black phenotypes suggested the color dimorphism being controlled by a single Mendelian locus, with the orange allele being dominant over black. Genome-wide association suggests that a locus at the intergenic region between 2 abdominal fate-determining Hox genes, abd-A and Abd-B, is associated with the color change. This locus is therefore in the same intergenic region but not the same exact locus as found to drive red black midabdominal variation in a distantly related bumble bee species, Bombus melanopygus. Gene expression analysis and RNA interferences suggest that differential expression of an intergenic long noncoding RNA between abd-A and Abd-B at the onset setal color differentiation may drive the orange black color variation by causing a homeotic shift late in development. Analysis of this same color locus in comimetic species reveals no sequence association with the same color shift, suggesting that mimetic convergence is achieved through distinct genetic routes. Our study establishes Hox regions as genomic hotspots for color pattern evolution in bumble bees and demonstrates how pleiotropic developmental loci can drive adaptive radiations in nature.

Intergenic spacer (IGS-1) region sequence-based identification, genotypic analysis, and antifungal susceptibility of clinical Trichosporon species.

OBJECTIVES: Molecular genotyping of Trichosporon species using intergenic spacer region (IGS-1) sequencing and antifungal drug susceptibility testing of T. asahii clinical isolates from Indian patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five Trichosporon strains were characterized using IGS-1 sequencing from 2006 to 2018 and tested against 5 antifungals using CLSI M27-A3 guidelines. RESULTS: In this study, broad-spectrum antibiotics with steroids, catheters, and ICU stays were major underlying risk factors. These cases were most commonly associated with diabetes (type-2), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypertension. Out of fifty-five isolates, 47 (85%) were identified as T. asahii, and the remaining 6 were T. inkin (11%) and 2 were Cutaneotrichosporon dermatis (3.6%). The most common genotype of T. asahii was G3 (22; 49%) subsequently G4 (12; 23%), G1 (8; 17%), and G7 (2; 4%). One new genotype of T asahii was found in addition to the fifteen already known genotypes. Indian T. asahii isolates showed a low level of amphotericin B (range 0.06-4 â€‹mg/l) resistance but relatively higher in fluconazole (range 0.25-64 â€‹mg/l). Although, comparatively low MIC ranges were found in the case of voriconazole (0.03-1 â€‹mg/l), posaconazole (0.06-1 â€‹mg/l) and itraconazole (0.06-1 â€‹mg/l). Voriconazole appeared to be the most active drug in T. asahii isolates. The MICs for all the drugs were comparatively lower in the case of non-Trichosporon asahii strains. CONCLUSION: T. asahii was the most common Trichosporon isolate. Speciation is necessary for optimal antifungal therapy. Voriconazole-based treatment, Steroids, removal of catheters and control of underlying conditions results in positive outcomes.

The structure and mechanism of action of a distinct class of dicistrovirus intergenic region IRESs.

Internal ribosomal entry sites (IRESs) engage with the eukaryotic translation apparatus to promote end-independent initiation. We identified a conserved class of ∼150 nt long intergenic region (IGR) IRESs in dicistrovirus genomes derived from members of the phyla Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Entoprocta, Mollusca and Porifera. These IRESs, exemplified by Wenling picorna-like virus 2, resemble the canonical cricket paralysis virus (CrPV) IGR IRES in comprising two nested pseudoknots (PKII/PKIII) and a 3'-terminal pseudoknot (PKI) that mimics a tRNA anticodon stem-loop base-paired to mRNA. However, they are ∼50 nt shorter than CrPV-like IRESs, and PKIII is an H-type pseudoknot that lacks the SLIV and SLV stem-loops that are primarily responsible for the affinity of CrPV-like IRESs for the 40S ribosomal subunit and that restrict initial binding of PKI to its aminoacyl (A) site. Wenling-class IRESs bound strongly to 80S ribosomes but only weakly to 40S subunits. Whereas CrPV-like IRESs must be translocated from the A site to the peptidyl (P) site by elongation factor 2 for elongation to commence, Wenling-class IRESs bound directly to the P site of 80S ribosomes, and decoding begins without a prior translocation step. A chimeric CrPV clone containing a Wenling-class IRES was infectious, confirming that the IRES functioned in cells.

Chance promoter activities illuminate the origins of eukaryotic intergenic transcriptions.

It is debated whether the pervasive intergenic transcription from eukaryotic genomes has functional significance or simply reflects the promiscuity of RNA polymerases. We approach this question by comparing chance promoter activities with the expression levels of intergenic regions in the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We build a library of over 105 strains, each carrying a 120-nucleotide, chromosomally integrated, completely random sequence driving the potential transcription of a barcode. Quantifying the RNA concentration of each barcode in two environments reveals that 41-63% of random sequences have significant, albeit usually low, promoter activities. Therefore, even in eukaryotes, where the presence of chromatin is thought to repress transcription, chance transcription is prevalent. We find that only 1-5% of yeast intergenic transcriptions are unattributable to chance promoter activities or neighboring gene expressions, and these transcriptions exhibit higher-than-expected environment-specificity. These findings suggest that only a minute fraction of intergenic transcription is functional in yeast.

Rearrangement distance with reversals, indels, and moves in intergenic regions on signed and unsigned permutations.

Genome rearrangement events are widely used to estimate a minimum-size sequence of mutations capable of transforming a genome into another. The length of this sequence is called distance, and determining it is the main goal in genome rearrangement distance problems. Problems in the genome rearrangement field differ regarding the set of rearrangement events allowed and the genome representation. In this work, we consider the scenario where the genomes share the same set of genes, gene orientation is known or unknown, and intergenic regions (structures between a pair of genes and at the extremities of the genome) are taken into account. We use two models, the first model allows only conservative events (reversals and moves), and the second model includes non-conservative events (insertions and deletions) in the intergenic regions. We show that both models result in NP-hard problems no matter if gene orientation is known or unknown. When the information regarding the orientation of genes is available, we present for both models an approximation algorithm with a factor of 2. For the scenario where this information is unavailable, we propose a 4-approximation algorithm for both models.

Initiation of translation on nedicistrovirus and related intergenic region IRESs by their factor-independent binding to the P site of 80S ribosomes.

Initiation of translation on many viral mRNAs occurs by noncanonical mechanisms that involve 5' end-independent binding of ribosomes to an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). The ∼190-nt-long intergenic region (IGR) IRES of dicistroviruses such as cricket paralysis virus (CrPV) initiates translation without Met-tRNAi Met or initiation factors. Advances in metagenomics have revealed numerous dicistrovirus-like genomes with shorter, structurally distinct IGRs, such as nedicistrovirus (NediV) and Antarctic picorna-like virus 1 (APLV1). Like canonical IGR IRESs, the ∼165-nt-long NediV-like IGRs comprise three domains, but they lack key canonical motifs, including L1.1a/L1.1b loops (which bind to the L1 stalk of the ribosomal 60S subunit) and the apex of stem-loop V (SLV) (which binds to the head of the 40S subunit). Domain 2 consists of a compact, highly conserved pseudoknot (PKIII) that contains a UACUA loop motif and a protruding CrPV-like stem--loop SLIV. In vitro reconstitution experiments showed that NediV-like IRESs initiate translation from a non-AUG codon and form elongation-competent 80S ribosomal complexes in the absence of initiation factors and Met-tRNAi Met Unlike canonical IGR IRESs, NediV-like IRESs bind directly to the peptidyl (P) site of ribosomes leaving the aminoacyl (A) site accessible for decoding. The related structures of NediV-like IRESs and their common mechanism of action indicate that they exemplify a distinct class of IGR IRES.

Hematopoietic/erythroid enhancers activate nearby target genes by extending histone H3K27ac and transcribing intergenic RNA.

Enhancers activate gene transcription remotely, which requires tissue specific transcription factors binding to them. GATA1 and TAL1 are hematopoietic/erythroid-specific factors and often bind together to enhancers, activating target genes. Interestingly, we found that some hematopoietic/erythroid genes are transcribed in a GATA1-dependent but TAL1-independnet manner. They appear to have enhancers within a relatively short distance. In this study, we paired highly transcribed hematopoietic/erythroid genes with the nearest GATA1/TAL1-binding enhancers and analyzed these putative enhancer-gene pairs depending on distance between them. Enhancers located at various distances from genes in the pairs, which was not related to transcription level of the genes. However, genes with enhancers at short distances away tended to be transcriptionally unaffected by TAL1 depletion. Histone H3K27ac extended from the enhancers to target genes. The H3K27ac extension was maintained without TAL1, even though it disappeared owing to the loss of GATA1. Intergenic RNA was highly transcribed from the enhancers to nearby target genes, independent of TAL1. Taken together, TAL1-independent transcription of hematopoietic/erythroid genes appears to be promoted by enhancers present in a short distance. These enhancers are likely to activate nearby target genes by tracking the intervening regions.

Intergenic Regions of Saccharomycotina Yeasts are Enriched in Potential to Encode Transmembrane Domains.

Intergenic genomic regions have essential regulatory and structural roles that impose constraints on their sequences. But regions that do not currently encode proteins also carry the potential to do so in the future. De novo gene emergence, the evolution of novel genes out of previously noncoding sequences has now been established as a potent force for genomic novelty. Recently, it was shown that intergenic regions in the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbor pervasive cryptic potential to, if theoretically translated, form transmembrane domains (TM domains) more frequently than expected by chance given their nucleotide composition, a property that we refer to as TM-forming enrichment. The source and biological relevance of this property is unknown. Here, we expand the investigation into the TM-forming potential of intergenic regions to the entire Saccharomycotina budding yeast subphylum, in an effort to explain this property and understand its importance. We find pervasive but variable enrichment in TM-forming potential across the subphylum regardless of the composition and average size of intergenic regions. This cryptic property is evenly spread across the genome, cannot be explained by the hydrophobic content of the sequence, and does not appear to localize to regions containing regulatory motifs. This TM-forming enrichment specifically, and not the actual TM-forming potential, is associated, across genomes, with more TM domains in evolutionarily young genes. Our findings shed light on this newly discovered feature of yeast genomes and constitute a first step toward understanding its evolutionary importance.

Transcribed intergenic regions exhibit a lower frequency of nucleotide polymorphism than the untranscribed intergenic regions in the genomes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica.

The temporary exposure of single-stranded regions in the genome during the process of replication and transcription makes the region vulnerable to cytosine deamination resulting in a higher rate of C→T transition. Intraoperon intergenic regions undergo transcription along with adjacent co-transcribed genes in an operon, whereas interoperon intergenic regions are usually devoid of transcription. Hence these two types of intergenic regions (IGRs) can be compared to find out the contribution of replication-associated mutations (RAM) and transcription-associated mutations (TrAM) towards bringing variation in genomes. In our work, we performed a polymorphism spectra comparison between intraoperon IGRs and interoperon IGRs in genomes of two well-known closely related bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. In general, the size of intraoperon IGRs was smaller than that of interoperon IGRs in E. coli and S. enterica. Interestingly, the polymorphism frequency at intraoperon IGRs was 2.5-fold lesser than that in the interoperon IGRs in E. coli genome. Similarly, the polymorphism frequency at intraoperon IGRs was 2.8-fold lesser than that in the inter-operon IGRs in S. enterica genome. Therefore, the intraoperon IGRs were often observed to be more conserved. In the case of interoperon IGRs, the T→C transition frequency was a minimum of two times more frequent than T→A transversion frequency whereas in the case of intraoperon IGRs, T→C transition frequency was similar to that of T→A transversion frequency. The polymorphism was purine-biased and keto-biased more in intraoperon IGRs than the inter-operon IGRs. In E. coli, the transition/transversion ratio was observed as 1.639 and 1.338 in inter-operon and in intraoperon IGRs, respectively. In S. enterica, the transition/transversion ratio was observed as 2.134 and 2.780 in inter-operon and in intraoperon IGRs, respectively. The observation in this study indicates that transcribable IGRs might not always have higher polymorphism frequency than nontranscribable IGRs. The lower polymorphism frequency at intraoperon IGRs might be attributed to different events such as the transcription-coupled DNA repair, sequences facilitating translation initiation and avoidance of Rho-dependent transcription termination.

Emergence of a novel intergenic region (IGR) IV variant of african swine fever virus genotype II in domestic pigs in Vietnam.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes African swine fever (ASF), a deadly disease affecting both domestic pigs and wild boars. ASF has become endemic in Vietnam since its first appearance in early 2019. Our previous molecular surveillance studies revealed that all the ASFV strains circulating in Vietnam belong to p72 genotype II, p54 genotype II, CD2v serogroup 8, and CVR of B602L gene variant type I. However, the genetic analysis based on the tandem repeat sequences located between I73R and I329L genes revealed three different intergenic region (IGR) variants; I, II, and III. In this study, using ASFV field isolates collected from September 24th to December 27th, 2021, we report, for the first time, novel IGR IV variants circulating in the Vietnamese pig population.

Dynamic interplay between non-coding enhancer transcription and gene activity in development.

Non-coding transcription at the intergenic regulatory regions is a prevalent feature of metazoan genomes, but its biological function remains uncertain. Here, we devise a live-imaging system that permits simultaneous visualization of gene activity along with intergenic non-coding transcription at single-cell resolution in Drosophila. Quantitative image analysis reveals that elongation of RNA polymerase II across the internal core region of enhancers leads to suppression of transcriptional bursting from linked genes. Super-resolution imaging and genome-editing analysis further demonstrate that enhancer transcription antagonizes molecular crowding of transcription factors, thereby interrupting the formation of a transcription hub at the gene locus. We also show that a certain class of developmental enhancers are structurally optimized to co-activate gene transcription together with non-coding transcription effectively. We suggest that enhancer function is flexibly tunable through the modulation of hub formation via surrounding non-coding transcription during development.

Molecular Engineering of a Mammarenavirus with Unbreachable Attenuation.

Several mammarenaviruses cause severe hemorrhagic fever (HF) disease in humans and pose important public health problems in their regions of endemicity. There are no United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved mammarenavirus vaccines, and current anti-mammarenavirus therapy is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin that has limited efficacy. Mammarenaviruses are enveloped viruses with a bi-segmented negative-strand RNA genome. Each genome segment contains two open reading frames (ORF) separated by a noncoding intergenic region (IGR). The large (L) segment encodes the RNA dependent RNA polymerase, L protein, and the Z matrix protein, whereas the small (S) segment encodes the surface glycoprotein precursor (GPC) and nucleoprotein (NP). In the present study, we document the generation of a recombinant form of the prototypic mammarenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) expressing a codon deoptimized (CD) GPC and containing the IGR of the S segment in both the S and L segments (rLCMV/IGR-CD). We show that rLCMV/IGR-CD is fully attenuated in C57BL/6 (B6) mice but able to provide complete protection upon a single administration against a lethal challenge with LCMV. Importantly, rLCMV/IGR-CD exhibited an unbreachable attenuation for its safe implementation as a live-attenuated vaccine (LAV). IMPORTANCE Several mammarenaviruses cause severe disease in humans and pose important public health problems in their regions of endemicity. Currently, no FDA-licensed mammarenavirus vaccines are available, and anti-mammarenaviral therapy is limited to an off-label use of ribavirin whose efficacy is controversial. Here, we describe the generation of recombinant version of the prototypic mammarenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (rLCMV) combining the features of a codon deoptimized (CD) GPC and the noncoding intergenic region (IGR) of the S segment in both S and L genome segments, called rLCMV/IGR-CD. We present evidence that rLCMV/IGR-CD has excellent safety and protective efficacy features as live-attenuated vaccine (LAV). Importantly, rLCMV/IGR-CD prevents, in coinfected mice, the generation of LCMV reassortants with increased virulence. Our findings document a well-defined molecular strategy for the generation of mammarenavirus LAV candidates able to trigger long-term protective immunity, upon a single immunization, while exhibiting unique enhanced safety features, including unbreachable attenuation.

Molecular identification of Tetrahymena species.

Mitochondrial cox1 689 bp barcodes are routinely used for identification of Tetrahymena species. Here, we examine whether two shorter nuclear sequences, the 5.8S rRNA gene region and the intergenic region between H3 and H4 histone genes, might also be useful either singly or in combination with each other or cox1. We obtained sequences from ~300 wild isolates deposited at the Tetrahymena Stock Center and analyzed additional sequences obtained from GenBank. The 5.8S rRNA gene and portions of its transcribed flanks identify isolates as to their major clade and uniquely identify some, but not all, species. The ~330 bp H3/H4 intergenic region possesses low intraspecific variability and is unique for most species. However, it fails to distinguish between two pairs of common species and their rarer counterparts, and its use is complicated by the presence of duplicate genes in some species. The results show that while the cox1 sequence is the best single marker for Tetrahymena species identification, 5.8S rRNA, and the H3/H4 intergenic regions sequences are useful, singly or in combination, to confirm cox1 species assignments or as part of a preliminary survey of newly collected Tetrahymena. From our newly collected isolates, the results extend the biogeographical range of T. shanghaiensis and T. malaccensis and identify a new species, Tetrahymena arleneae n. sp. herein described.