Large-Scale RT-qPCR Diagnostics for Seed Potato Certification.

Unlabelled: Every year, Agroscope examines nearly 300,000 tubers for the presence of viruses, as regulated for the certification of seed potatoes intended for Swiss growers. Since 2016, this examination has been performed via RT-qPCR on dormant tubers directly after harvest. This method offers fast results and eliminates the need for the use of Rindite, which is a toxic and polluting gaseous compound previously used in Switzerland to break the dormancy of seed tubers.

Herpesvirus-Associated Proliferative Skin Disease in Frogs and Toads: Proposed Pathogenesis.

A comparative study was carried out on common and agile frogs ( and ) naturally infected with ranid herpesvirus 3 (RaHV3) and common toads () naturally infected with bufonid herpesvirus 1 (BfHV1) to investigate common pathogenetic pathways and molecular mechanisms based on macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural pathology as well as evaluation of gene expression. Careful examination of the tissue changes, supported by in situ hybridization, at different stages of development in 6 frogs and 14 toads revealed that the skin lesions are likely transient, and part of a tissue cycle necessary for viral replication in the infected hosts. Transcriptomic analysis, carried out on 2 naturally infected and 2 naïve common frogs () and 2 naturally infected and 2 naïve common toads (), revealed altered expression of genes involved in signaling and cell remodeling in diseased animals.

Bufonid herpesvirus 1 (BfHV1) associated dermatitis and mortality in free ranging common toads (Bufo bufo) in Switzerland.

Here we report the discovery and partial characterization of a novel herpesvirus tentatively named Bufonid herpesvirus 1 (BfHV1) from severe dermatitis in free ranging common toads (Bufo bufo) in Switzerland. The disease has been observed in toads every year since 2014, in spring, during the mating season, at different and distant locations. The virus is found in the skin and occasionally in the brain of infected toads.

Exogenously applied dsRNA molecules deriving from the Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) genome move systemically and protect cucurbits against ZYMV.

Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) causes serious damage in a large number of cucurbits, and control measures are necessary. Transgenic cucurbits expressing parts of the ZYMV genome have been shown to be resistant to the cognate virus. A non-transgenic approach involving the exogenous application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has also been shown to induce resistance in tobacco against Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).

MISIS-2: A bioinformatics tool for in-depth analysis of small RNAs and representation of consensus master genome in viral quasispecies.

In most eukaryotes, small RNA (sRNA) molecules such as miRNAs, siRNAs and piRNAs regulate gene expression and repress transposons and viruses. AGO/PIWI family proteins sort functional sRNAs based on size, 5'-nucleotide and other sequence features. In plants and some animals, viral sRNAs are extremely diverse and cover the entire viral genome sequences, which allows for de novo reconstruction of a complete viral genome by deep sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of viral sRNAs.

A Genomic Approach to Unravel Host-Pathogen Interaction in Chelonians: The Example of Testudinid Herpesvirus 3.

We report the first de novo sequence assembly and analysis of the genome of Testudinid herpesvirus 3 (TeHV3), one of the most pathogenic chelonian herpesviruses. The genome of TeHV3 is at least 150,080 nucleotides long, is arranged in a type D configuration and comprises at least 102 open reading frames extensively co-linear with those of Human herpesvirus 1. Consistently, the phylogenetic analysis positions TeHV3 among the Alphaherpesvirinae, closely associated with Chelonid herpesvirus 5, a Scutavirus.

A new gene in A. rubens: A sea star Ig kappa gene.

The sea star Asterias rubens reacts specifically to the antigen:HRP (horse-radish peroxydase) and produces an antibody anti-HRP. We previously identified a candidate Ig kappa gene corresponding to this manuscript. We show now the gene referred to as: "sea star Ig kappa gene in its specificity".

De novo reconstruction of consensus master genomes of plant RNA and DNA viruses from siRNAs.

Virus-infected plants accumulate abundant, 21-24 nucleotide viral siRNAs which are generated by the evolutionary conserved RNA interference (RNAi) machinery that regulates gene expression and defends against invasive nucleic acids. Here we show that, similar to RNA viruses, the entire genome sequences of DNA viruses are densely covered with siRNAs in both sense and antisense orientations. This implies pervasive transcription of both coding and non-coding viral DNA in the nucleus, which generates double-stranded RNA precursors of viral siRNAs.

MISIS: a bioinformatics tool to view and analyze maps of small RNAs derived from viruses and genomic loci generating multiple small RNAs.

In eukaryotes, diverse small RNA (sRNA) populations including miRNAs, siRNAs and piRNAs regulate gene expression and repress transposons, transgenes and viruses. Functional sRNAs are associated with effector proteins based on their size and nucleotide composition. The sRNA populations are currently analyzed by deep sequencing that generates millions of reads which are then mapped to a reference sequence or database.