Entamoeba and Giardia parasites implicated as hosts of CRESS viruses.

Metagenomic techniques have enabled genome sequencing of unknown viruses without isolation in cell culture, but information on the virus host is often lacking, preventing viral characterisation. High-throughput methods capable of identifying virus hosts based on genomic data alone would aid evaluation of their medical or biological relevance. Here, we address this by linking metagenomic discovery of three virus families in human stool samples with determination of probable hosts. Recombination between viruses provides evidence of a shared host, in which genetic exchange occurs. We utilise networks of viral recombination to delimit virus-host clusters, which are then anchored to specific hosts using (1) statistical association to a host organism in clinical samples, (2) endogenous viral elements in host genomes, and (3) evidence of host small RNA responses to these elements. This analysis suggests two CRESS virus families (Naryaviridae and Nenyaviridae) infect Entamoeba parasites, while a third (Vilyaviridae) infects Giardia duodenalis. The trio supplements five CRESS virus families already known to infect eukaryotes, extending the CRESS virus host range to protozoa. Phylogenetic analysis implies CRESS viruses infecting multicellular life have evolved independently on at least three occasions.

Giardia canis: ultrastructural analysis of G. canis trophozoites transfected with full length G. canis virus cDNA transcripts.

Giardia canis virus (GCV) is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus of the family Totiviridae. In this study, the full length cDNA of the G. canis virus was constructed in pPoly2/sfinot vector and RNA was transcribed in vitro. Virus-free G. canis trophozoites were transfected with in vitro transcribed GCV RNA by electroporation. Transfected trophozoites were cultured for 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, or 72h post transfection for analysis. The ultrastructures of the transfected trophozoites were determined by transmission electron microscopy. The viral particles were detectable sporadically in the cytoplasm as early as 24h post transfection, but became evident and wide-spread 36h post transfection. The number of viral particles increased dramatically from 48 to 60h. Viral particles were released into the culture medium starting at about 60h and detectable in nuclei 72h post transfection. Severe vacuolization was seen in transfected G. canis trophozoites as early as 36h post transfection and persisted throughout the course of this study. The results of the present study indicate that in vitro transcribed GCV transcripts were capable of infecting Giardia trophozoites, apparently replicated and packaged into mature infectious viral particles which were released from the host.

Detection and comparison of Giardia virus (GLV) from different assemblages of Giardia duodenalis.

Five assemblages of Giardia duodenalis were identified from cysts in cattle, dog, cat, sheep, and reindeer feces using ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing. Assemblage A was present in cattle and reindeer feces, Assemblages C and D were present in dog feces, Assemblage E was present in cattle and sheep feces, and Assemblage F was present in cat feces. Giardia virus, originally referred to as Giardia lamblia virus (GLV), is a double-stranded RNA virus. Primers designed for the GLV capsid protein gene identified GLV sequences in G. lamblia from a reindeer (Assemblage A) and from a dog (Assemblage C). Two distinct GLV sequences were identified in the dog specimen and 1 sequence was identified in the reindeer specimen. None of these GLV sequences was identical with previously published GLV sequences. It appears that GLVs are genetically diverse and that more than 1 virion can be present in a single sample. Because many of the specimens that contained cysts were found to be negative for GLV, it appears that this test for capsid protein is of limited value for the purposes of detecting G. lamblia.

Stable expression of green fluorescent protein mediated by GCV in Giardia canis.

Giardia canis can be infected with a double-stranded RNA virus, that is giardiavirus (G. canis virus, GCV). In this study, green fluorescent protein (GFP) was stably expressed in G. canis mediated by GCV. The plasmid pNEO/GDH/MCS/GFP, containing the neomycin phosphotransferase (NEO) encoding region flanked by the 636 nt of 5'-terminus and the 2174 nt of 3'-terminus from GCV positive strand RNA, was constructed by inserting GFP gene into downstream from the NEO gene and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) 5'-terminus uncoding regions on a single plasmid, and its in vitro transcript was introduced into GCV-infected G. canis by electroporation. The transfectants expressed GFP persistently under G418 selection. This stable transfection system should provide a valuable tool for genetic study of G. canis.

[The cleavage activity of GCV transfer vector-mediated hammerhead ribozyme for KRR1 in vitro transcript].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the cleavage activity of Giardia canis virus (GCV) transfer vector-mediated hammerhead ribozyme for KRR1 in vitro transcript. METHODS: Giardia, a most primitive eukaryote, has KRR1 protein responsible for ribosome biosynthesis. cDNA encoding hammerhead ribozyme flanked with various lengths of antisense RNA was cloned into a viral vector pGCV634/GFP/GCV2174 derived from the genome of GCV, KRzS flanked with 21 nt KRR1 antisense RNA on each arm, or KRzL flanked with 288 nt and 507 nt KRR1 antisense RNA. At the same time, two control groups were established: PKR without the inserted ribozyme, and TRzL flanked with 324 nt and 380 nt triosephosphate isomerase (Tim) antisense RNA. The cleavage activity of GCV transfer vector-mediated hammerhead ribozyme for KRR1 in vitro transcript was then analyzed by absolute real-time quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The in vitro cleavage activities on KRR1 mRNA of the two ribozyme KRzS or KRzL were 74.0% and 81.1% respectively by the absolute real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The two control groups, PKR or TRzL, showed no effect on KRR1 mRNA in vitro. CONCLUSION: The GCV transfer vector-mediated hammerhead ribozyme shows a high cleavage activity for KRR1 in vitro transcript, which demonstrates the feasibility of using a viral vector to express a ribozyme targeted at a specific mRNA in Giardia to reduce the expression of a specific gene.

[Giardia canis virus transfection vector-mediated expression of green fluorescent protein in the parasite].

OBJECTIVE: To construct Giardia canis virus (GCV) transfection vector. METHODS: According to transcriptional start site, replication origin and packaging site of GCV genome (DQ238861), a system was developed for the expression of a foreign gene in this organism by flanking the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene with the fragments of GCV positive-strand RNA. The transcript of the construct was synthesized in vitro with T7 RNA polymerase and used to transfect GCV-infected trophozoites by electroporation. RESULTS: The recombinant plasmid pGCV634/GFP/GCV2174 was constructed. The expression of green fluorescent protein mediated by GCV transfection vector in Giardia canis peaked at 1 d after electroporation (A490=1.8), and slowly decreased until 14 d post-transfection. CONCLUSION: The engineered GCV vector can be successfully used to introduce and efficiently express a heterologous gene in the eukaryotic microorganism.

Inhibition of krr1 gene expression in Giardia canis by a virus-mediated hammerhead ribozyme.

Giardia, a most primitive eukaryote, infects several species including human and it is a major agent of waterborne outbreak of diarrhea. It has been difficult to employ standard genetic methods in the study of Giardia, but the RNA virus-based transfection system has been developed and used for the genetic manipulation. KRR1 protein is responsible for ribosome biosynthesis in Giardia. In this study, cDNA encoding hammerhead ribozyme flanked with various lengths of antisense Krr1 RNA were cloned into a viral vector pGCV634/GFP/GCV2174 derived from the genome of Giardia canis virus (GCV). RNA transcripts of the plasmids showed high cleavage activities on Krr1 mRNA in vitro. They were electroporated into GCV-infected G. canis trophozoites and Krr1 mRNA level was decreased by 72% with the ribozyme KRzS and 86% with the ribozyme KRzL, while the control ribozyme TRzS showed no effect on the level of Krr1 mRNA. The two hammerhead ribozyme transfected cells grew slowly, their internal structures got blurred and the cells were deformed. These results indicated that GCV could be useful tool for gene manipulation of G. canis.

[Establishment of in vitro cultivation of Giardia canis trophozoites infected with Giardia canis virus].

OBJECTIVE: To cultivate a Giardia canis isolate with G. canis virus (GCV). METHODS: Five-day-old Meriones unguiculatus was infected with the cysts of G. canis isolated from dogs in Changchun and purified by sucrose density gradient centrifugation-G1 acid funnel filtration method. Trophozoites were isolated aseptically from the duodenum of the infected rodent after 8 days, then transferred to modified TYI-S-33 medium and cultivated at 37 degrees C. The trophozoites were centrifuged with 3,000 x g, 15 min after liquid nitrogen freeze-thawing three times and the supernatant stained negatively by phosphotungstic acid was observed with transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: G. canis trophozoites which adapted gradually to the environment and grew a cellular monolayer after 14 days were examined by freezing and thawing experiment, purity quotient, stability, biology characteristics and microbial contamination detection. The results demonstrated that a stable G. canis trophozoite cell isolate was established. G. canis virus with icosahedron spherical shape and 36 nm in diameter was observed by electron microscope. CONCLUSION: In vitro cultivation of G. canis trophozoites with GCV is established.

[Viruses of parasitic protozoa]. / Wirusy pasozytniczych pierwotniaków.

The authors present the actual review on several publications concerning the molecular characterizations of the viruses found in parasitic protozoa such as Giardia, Trichomonas, Leishmania and Entamoeba histolytica. All of the RNA viruses observed in parasitic protozoa showed several similarities and did not considerably differ from the viruses found in simple eukaryotic cells; they closely correspond to dsRNA viruses of yeast. The supposition that the protozoan symbionts detected in laboratories transfer to their hosts in natural conditions seemed to be rational, though, there are no evidences that these symbionts are potential pathogens. However, the opinion reiterates that intestinal protozoa (e.g. Entamoeba histolytica) may serve as vectors for HIV or cofactors of HIV infection. The authors point out that irrespective of the potential role of viruses as vectors in the transfection system for parasitic protozoa, the observed viral system constitutes an unusual experimental system to solve the problems of gene expression.