Analysis of Negative-Strand RNA Viruses by RT-qPCR: Rift Valley Fever Virus and Toscana Virus.

RT-qPCR allows the detection of viruses and the monitoring of viral replication. This technique was extensively employed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, where it demonstrated its efficiency and robustness. Here we describe the analysis of Rift Valley fever and Toscana virus infections over time, achieved through the RT-qPCR quantification of the viral genome.

Glucosylceramide in bunyavirus particles is essential for virus binding to host cells.

Hexosylceramides (HexCer) are implicated in the infection process of various pathogens. However, the molecular and cellular functions of HexCer in infectious cycles are poorly understood. Investigating the enveloped virus Uukuniemi (UUKV), a bunyavirus of the Phenuiviridae family, we performed a lipidomic analysis with mass spectrometry and determined the lipidome of both infected cells and derived virions.

IFITMs from Naturally Infected Animal Species Exhibit Distinct Restriction Capacities against Toscana and Rift Valley Fever Viruses.

Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) and Toscana virus (TOSV) are two pathogenic arthropod-borne viruses responsible for zoonotic infections in both humans and animals; as such, they represent a growing threat to public and veterinary health. Interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) proteins are broad inhibitors of a large panel of viruses belonging to various families and genera. However, little is known on the interplay between RVFV, TOSV, and the IFITM proteins derived from their naturally infected host species.

The Orthobunyavirus Germiston Enters Host Cells from Late Endosomes.

With more than 80 members worldwide, the genus in the family is a large genus of enveloped RNA viruses, many of which are emerging pathogens in humans and livestock. How orthobunyaviruses (OBVs) penetrate and infect mammalian host cells remains poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the entry mechanisms of the OBV Germiston (GERV).