Identification of Differential Responses of Goat PBMCs to PPRV Virulence Using a Multi-Omics Approach.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute transboundary infectious viral disease of small ruminants, mainly sheep and goats. Host susceptibility varies considerably depending on the PPR virus (PPRV) strain, the host species and breed. The effect of strains with different levels of virulence on the modulation of the immune system has not been thoroughly compared in an experimental setting so far. In this study, we used a multi-omics approach to investigate the host cellular factors involved in different infection phenotypes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Saanen goats were activated with a T-cell mitogen and infected with PPRV strains of different virulence: Morocco 2008 (high virulence), Ivory Coast 1989 (low virulence) and Nigeria 75/1 (live attenuated vaccine strain). Our results showed that the highly virulent strain replicated better than the other two in PBMCs and rapidly induced cell death and a stronger inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. However, all the strains affected lymphocyte proliferation and induced upregulation of key antiviral genes and proteins, meaning a classical antiviral response is orchestrated regardless of the virulence of the PPRV strain. On the other hand, the highly virulent strain induced stronger inflammatory responses and activated more genes related to lymphocyte migration and recruitment, and inflammatory processes. Both transcriptomic and proteomic approaches were successful in detecting viral and antiviral effectors under all conditions. The present work identified key immunological factors related to PPRV virulence in vitro.

TrIPP-a method for tracking the inheritance patterns of proteins in living cells-reveals retention of Tup1p, Fpr4p, and Rpd3L in the mother cell.

Inheritance of chromatin-bound proteins theoretically plays a role in the epigenetic transmission of cellular phenotypes. Protein segregation during cell division is however poorly understood. We now describe TrIPP (Tracking the Inheritance Patterns of Proteins): a live cell imaging method for tracking maternal proteins during asymmetric cell divisions of budding yeast. Our analysis of the partitioning pattern of a test set of 18 chromatin-associated proteins reveals that abundant and moderately abundant maternal proteins segregate stochastically and symmetrically between the two cells with the exception of Rxt3p, Fpr4p, and Tup1p, which are preferentially retained in the mother. Low abundance proteins also tend to be retained in the mother cell with the exception of Sir2p and the linker histone H1. Our analysis of chromatin protein behavior in single cells reveals potentially general trends such as coupled protein synthesis and decay and a correlation between protein half-lives and cell-cycle duration.

Proteotranscriptomic Insights into the Venom Composition of the Wolf Spider Lycosa tarantula.

Spider venoms represent an original source of novel compounds with therapeutic and agrochemical potential. Whereas most of the research efforts have focused on large mygalomorph spiders, araneomorph spiders are equally promising but require more sensitive and sophisticated approaches given their limited size and reduced venom yield. Belonging to the latter group, the genus Lycosa ("wolf spiders") contains many species widely distributed throughout the world. These spiders are ambush predators that do not build webs but instead rely strongly on their venom for prey capture. Lycosa tarantula is one of the largest species of wolf spider, but its venom composition is unknown. Using a combination of RNA sequencing of the venom glands and venom proteomics, we provide the first overview of the peptides and proteins produced by this iconic Mediterranean spider. Beside the typical small disulfide rich neurotoxins, several families of proteins were also identified, including cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISP) and Hyaluronidases. Proteomic analysis of the electrically stimulated venom validated 30 of these transcriptomic sequences, including nine putative neurotoxins and eight venom proteins. Interestingly, LC-MS venom profiles of manual versus electric stimulation, as well as female versus male, showed some marked differences in mass distribution. Finally, we also present some preliminary data on the biological activity of L. tarantula crude venom.

Daxx Inhibits HIV-1 Reverse Transcription and Uncoating in a SUMO-Dependent Manner.

Death domain-associated protein 6 (Daxx) is a multifunctional, ubiquitously expressed and highly conserved chaperone protein involved in numerous cellular processes, including apoptosis, transcriptional repression, and carcinogenesis. In 2015, we identified Daxx as an antiretroviral factor that interfered with HIV-1 replication by inhibiting the reverse transcription step. In the present study, we sought to unravel the molecular mechanism of Daxx-mediated restriction and, in particular, to identify the protein(s) that Daxx targets in order to achieve its antiviral activity. First, we show that the SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) located at the C-terminus of the protein is strictly required for Daxx to inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcription. By performing a quantitative proteomic screen combined with classical biochemical analyses, we found that Daxx associated with incoming HIV-1 cores through a SIM-dependent interaction with cyclophilin A (CypA) and capsid (CA). Daxx was found to reside within a multiprotein complex associated with viral capsids, also containing TNPO3, TRIM5α, and TRIM34. Given the well-known influence of these cellular factors on the stability of HIV-1 cores, we investigated the effect of Daxx on the cytoplasmic fate of incoming cores and found that Daxx prevented HIV-1 uncoating in a SIM-dependent manner. Altogether, our findings suggest that, by recruiting TNPO3, TRIM5α, and TRIM34 and possibly other proteins onto incoming HIV-1 cores through a SIM-dependent interaction with CA-bound CypA, Daxx increases their stability, thus preventing uncoating and reverse transcription. Our study uncovers a previously unknown function of Daxx in the early steps of HIV-1 infection and further illustrates how reverse transcription and uncoating are two tightly interdependent processes.

Interaction of a Densovirus with Glycans of the Peritrophic Matrix Mediates Oral Infection of the Lepidopteran Pest Spodoptera frugiperda.

The success of oral infection by viruses depends on their capacity to overcome the gut epithelial barrier of their host to crossing over apical, mucous extracellular matrices. As orally transmitted viruses, densoviruses, are also challenged by the complexity of the insect gut barriers, more specifically by the chitinous peritrophic matrix, that lines and protects the midgut epithelium; how capsids stick to and cross these barriers to reach their final cell destination where replication goes has been poorly studied in insects. Here, we analyzed the early interaction of the Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDV) with the midgut barriers of caterpillars from the pest Spodoptera frugiperda. Using combination of imaging, biochemical, proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, we examined in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo the early interaction of the capsids with the peritrophic matrix and the consequence of early oral infection on the overall gut function. We show that the JcDV particle rapidly adheres to the peritrophic matrix through interaction with different glycans including chitin and glycoproteins, and that these interactions are necessary for oral infection. Proteomic analyses of JcDV binding proteins of the peritrophic matrix revealed mucins and non-mucins proteins including enzymes already known to act as receptors for several insect pathogens. In addition, we show that JcDV early infection results in an arrest of N-Acetylglucosamine secretion and a disruption in the integrity of the peritrophic matrix, which may help viral particles to pass through. Finally, JcDV early infection induces changes in midgut genes expression favoring an increased metabolism including an increased translational activity. These dysregulations probably participate to the overall dysfunction of the gut barrier in the early steps of viral pathogenesis. A better understanding of early steps of densovirus infection process is crucial to build biocontrol strategies against major insect pests.