Structural flexibility of Toscana virus nucleoprotein in the presence of a single-chain camelid antibody.

Phenuiviridae nucleoprotein is the main structural and functional component of the viral cycle, protecting the viral RNA and mediating the essential replication/transcription processes. The nucleoprotein (N) binds the RNA using its globular core and polymerizes through the N-terminus, which is presented as a highly flexible arm, as demonstrated in this article. The nucleoprotein exists in an `open' or a `closed' conformation. In the case of the closed conformation the flexible N-terminal arm folds over the RNA-binding cleft, preventing RNA adsorption. In the open conformation the arm is extended in such a way that both RNA adsorption and N polymerization are possible. In this article, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering were used to study the N protein of Toscana virus complexed with a single-chain camelid antibody (VHH) and it is shown that in the presence of the antibody the nucleoprotein is unable to achieve a functional assembly to form a ribonucleoprotein complex.

Toscana virus nucleoprotein oligomer organization observed in solution.

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus belonging to the Phlebovirus genus within the Bunyaviridae family. As in other bunyaviruses, the genome of TOSV is made up of three RNA segments. They are encapsidated by the nucleoprotein (N), which also plays an essential role in virus replication. To date, crystallographic structures of phlebovirus N have systematically revealed closed-ring organizations which do not fully match the filamentous organization of the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex observed by electron microscopy. In order to further bridge the gap between crystallographic data on N and observations of the RNP by electron microscopy, the structural organization of recombinant TOSV N was investigated by an integrative approach combining X-ray diffraction crystallography, transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, size-exclusion chromatography and multi-angle laser light scattering. It was found that in solution TOSV N forms open oligomers consistent with the encapsidation mechanism of phlebovirus RNA.

Practical Guidelines for Studies on Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses: Part II: Important Points to Consider for Fieldwork and Subsequent Virological Screening.

In this series of review articles entitled "Practical guidelines for studies on sandfly-borne phleboviruses," the important points to be considered at the prefieldwork stage were addressed in part I, including parameters to be taken into account to define the geographic area for sand fly trapping and how to organize field collections. Here in part II, the following points have been addressed: (1) factors influencing the efficacy of trapping and the different types of traps with their respective advantages and drawbacks, (2) how to process the trapped sand flies in the field, and (3) how to process the sand flies in the virology laboratory. These chapters provide the necessary information for adopting the most appropriate procedures depending on the requirements of the study. In addition, practical information gathered through years of experience of translational projects is included to help newcomers to fieldwork studies.

Practical Guidelines for Studies on Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses: Part I: Important Points to Consider Ante Field Work.

The purpose of this review is to provide practical information to help researchers intending to perform "from field to laboratory" studies on phleboviruses transmitted by sandflies. This guideline addresses the different steps to be considered starting from the field collection of sandflies to the laboratory techniques aiming at the detection, isolation, and characterization of sandfly-borne phleboviruses. In this guideline article, we address the impact of various types of data for an optimal organization of the field work intending to collect wildlife sandflies for subsequent virology studies. Analysis of different data sets should result in the geographic positioning of the trapping stations. The overall planning, the equipment and tools needed, the manpower to be deployed, and the logistics to be anticipated and set up should be organized according to the objectives of the field study for optimal efficiency.

Structural characterization of the N-terminal part of the MERS-CoV nucleocapsid by X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering.

The N protein of coronaviruses is a multifunctional protein that is organized into several domains. The N-terminal part is composed of an intrinsically disordered region (IDR) followed by a structured domain called the N-terminal domain (NTD). In this study, the structure determination of the N-terminal region of the MERS-CoV N protein via X-ray diffraction measurements is reported at a resolution of 2.4 Å. Since the first 30 amino acids were not resolved by X-ray diffraction, the structural study was completed by a SAXS experiment to propose a structural model including the IDR. This model presents the N-terminal region of the MERS-CoV as a monomer that displays structural features in common with other coronavirus NTDs.

Complete Coding Sequences of Three Toscana Virus Strains Isolated from Sandflies in France.

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus belonging to the sandfly fever Naples virus species within the genus Phlebovirus. We report here the complete coding sequences of three TOSV strains belonging to lineage B and isolated from sandflies trapped in the Southeast of France between 2009 and 2013.

Complete Coding Sequences of Six Toscana Virus Strains Isolated from Human Patients in France.

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne phlebovirus belonging to the Sandfly fever Naples virus species (genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae). Here, we report the complete coding sequences of six TOSV strains isolated from human patients having acquired the infection in southeastern France during a 12-year period.