Mitoviruses are cryptic capsidless viruses belonging to the family Mitoviridae that replicate and are maintained in the mitochondria of fungi. Complete mitovirus-like sequences were recently assembled from plant transcriptome data and plant leaf tissue samples. Passion fruit (Passiflora spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is known for its Cry and Vip3A pesticidal proteins with high selectivity to target pests. Here, we assessed the potential of a novel neotropical Bt strain (UFT038) against six lepidopteran pests, including two Cry-resistant populations of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. We also sequenced and analyzed the genome of Bt UFT038 to identify genes involved in insecticidal activities or encoding other virulence factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe discovery rate of new plant viruses has increased due to studies involving high-throughput sequencing (HTS), particularly for single-stranded DNA viruses of the family Genomoviridae. We carried out an HTS-based survey of genomoviruses in a wide range of native and exotic trees grown in the Brazilian Cerrado biome, and the complete genome sequences of two novel members of the family Genomoviridae from two distinct genera were determined. Specific primers were designed to detect these genomoviruses in individual samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Frequent monitoring of emerging viruses of agricultural crops is one of the most important missions for plant virologists. A fast and precise identification of potential harmful viruses may prevent the occurrence of serious epidemics. Nowadays, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies became an accessible and powerful tool for this purpose.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-throughput sequencing (HTS) has been an important tool for the discovery of plant viruses and their surveillance. In 2015, several virus-like symptoms were observed in passion fruit (PF) plants in Bahia state, Brazil. Using HTS technology, bioinformatics tools, RT-PCR, and Sanger sequencing, we identified the cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV, , ) in co-infection with cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV, , ) in PF, in green manure, and spontaneous plants in several localities in Bahia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The correct understanding of the epidemiological dynamics of COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, is essential for formulating public policies of disease containment.
Methods: In this study, we constructed a picture of the epidemiological dynamics of COVID-19 in a Brazilian population of almost 17000 patients in 15 months. We specifically studied the fluctuations of COVID-19 cases and deaths due to COVID-19 over time according to host gender, age, viral load, and genetic variants.
Background: Phylogenetic studies indicate bats as original hosts of SARS-CoV-2. However, it remains unclear whether other animals, including pets, are crucial in the spread and maintenance of COVID-19 worldwide.
Methods: In this study, we analyzed the first fatal case of a SARS-CoV-2 and FeLV co-infection in an eight-year-old male cat.
Tocantins is a state in the cross-section between the Central-West, North and Northeast regions of Brazilian territory; it is a gathering point for travelers and transportation from the whole country. In this study, 9493 genome sequences, including 241 local SARS-CoV-2 samples (collected from 21 December 2020, to 16 December 2021, and sequenced in the MinION platform) were analyzed with the following aims: (i) identify the relative prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the state of Tocantins; (ii) analyze them phylogenetically against global SARS-CoV-2 sequences; and (iii) hypothesize the viral dispersal routes of the two most abundant lineages found in our study using phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches. The performed analysis demonstrated that the majority of the strains sequenced during the period belong to the Gamma P.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSingle-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) offers the possibility to monitor both host and pathogens transcriptomes at the cellular level. Here, public scRNA-seq datasets from midgut cells were used to compare the differences in replication strategy and cellular responses between two fly picorna-like viruses, Thika virus (TV) and Nora virus (DMelNV). TV exhibited lower levels of viral RNA accumulation but infected a higher number of cells compared to DMelNV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedically important arboviruses such as dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are primarily transmitted by the globally distributed mosquito Aedes aegypti. Increasing evidence suggests that the transmission of some viruses can be influenced by mosquito-specific and mosquito-borne viruses. Advancements in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and bioinformatics have expanded our knowledge on the richness of viruses harbored by mosquitoes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 2021 re-emergence of yellow fever in non-human primates in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), southernmost Brazil, resulted in the death of many howler monkeys (genus ) and led the state to declare a Public Health Emergency of State Importance, despite no human cases reported. In this study, near-complete genomes of yellow fever virus (YFV) recovered from the outbreak were sequenced and examined aiming at a better understanding of the phylogenetic relationships and the spatio-temporal dynamics of the virus distribution. Our results suggest that the most likely sequence of events involved the reintroduction of YFV from the state of São Paulo to RS through the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina, by the end of 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDuring a survey in a tomato field in Luziânia (Goiás State, Brazil), a single plant with mottling, chlorotic spots, and leaf distortion was found. A new bipartite begomovirus sequence was identified using nanopore sequence technology and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The highest nucleotide sequence identity match of the DNA-A component (2596 bases) was 81.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnophelinae is a widely dispersed Culicidae subfamily that may carry a unique virome. Here we herein report the set of viruses found in 323 salivary glands of 16 anopheline species sampled at Upper Pantanal, Chapada dos Guimarães National Park and Coxipó river basin, South Central Mato Grosso, Brazil, pooled (n = 11) and subjected to high throughput sequencing. Metagenomics revealed the presence of nine viral sequences belonging to novel viruses from seven viral families: Purunga is a putative novel orbivirus sharing 74% and 65% aa identity, respectively, with the VP1 and VP3 segments of Changuinola serogroup, Jaracatiá flavivirus shares 60% amino-acid (aa) identity with Aedes flavivirus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFForage crops occupy large areas of tropical pastures for cattle feeding in Brazil. The use of stylos (Stylosanthes spp.) in these pastures, which are leguminous shrubs, has increased in the country due to their outstanding nutritional value and for being an efficient and alternative source for nitrogen fixation in the soil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTobamoviruses are often referred to as the most notorious viral pathogens of pepper crops. These viruses are not transmitted by invertebrate vectors, but rather by physical contact and seeds. In this study, pepper plants displaying mild mottle and mosaic symptoms were sampled in four different regions of Peru.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe knowledge of genomic data of new plant viruses is increasing exponentially; however, some aspects of their biology, such as vectors and host range, remain mostly unknown. This information is crucial for the understanding of virus-plant interactions, control strategies, and mechanisms to prevent outbreaks. Typically, rhabdoviruses infect monocot and dicot plants and are vectored in nature by hemipteran sap-sucking insects, including aphids, leafhoppers, and planthoppers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn a systematic field survey for plant-infecting viruses, leaf tissues were collected from trees showing virus-like symptoms in Brazil. After viral enrichment, total RNA was extracted and sequenced using the MiSeq platform (Illumina). Two nearly full-length picorna-like genomes of 9534 and 8158 nucleotides were found associated with ( family).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis (Bti) is used to control insect vectors of human and animal diseases. In the present study, the toxicity of four strains of Bti, named T0124, T0131, T0137, and T0139, toward Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae was analyzed. The T0131 strain showed the highest larvicidal activity against A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe World Health Organization (WHO), reports that rabies causes tens of thousands of deaths every year killing humans, non-human primates and other animals. Rabies continues to be a public health issue, despite the existence of effective vaccines. The dogs remain the primary reservoir and transmitter of rabies to humans globally.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses are ubiquitous and diverse microorganisms arising as a result of interactions within their vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Here we report the presence of different viruses in the salivary glands of 1657 mosquitoes classified over 28 culicinae species from the North region of the Brazilian Pantanal wetland through metagenomics, viral isolation, and RT-PCR. In total, 12 viruses were found, eight putative novel viruses with relatively low similarity with pre-existing species of viruses within their families, named Pirizal iflavirus, Furrundu phlebovirus, Pixé phlebovirus, Guampa vesiculovirus, Chacororé flavivirus, Rasqueado orbivirus, Uru chuvirus, and Bororo circovirus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Brazilian Cerrado fauna shows very wide diversity and can be a potential viral reservoir. Therefore, the animal's susceptibility to some virus can serve as early warning signs of potential human virus diseases. Moreover, the wild animal virome of this biome is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBaculoviruses are capable of infecting a wide diversity of insect pests. In the 1990s, the Dione juno nucleopolyhedrovirus (DijuNPV) was isolated from larvae of the major passionfruit defoliator pest (Nymphalidae) and described at ultrastructural and pathological levels. In this study, the complete genome sequence of DijuNPV was determined and analyzed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections. Moreover, the species can cause severe infections in cystic fibrosis patients, in burnt victims and cause disease in domestic animals. The control of these infections is often difficult due to its vast repertoire of mechanisms for antibiotic resistance.
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