Preparation of carboxymethyl cellulose/graphene composite aerogel beads and their adsorption for methylene blue.

Carboxymethyl cellulose/ graphene composite aerogel beads (CMC/GAs) were prepared by the easily scaling-up method, i.e., wet spinning- environmental pressure drying method.

The potent and broadly neutralizing human dengue virus-specific monoclonal antibody 1C19 reveals a unique cross-reactive epitope on the bc loop of domain II of the envelope protein.

Unlabelled: Following natural dengue virus (DENV) infection, humans produce some antibodies that recognize only the serotype of infection (type specific) and others that cross-react with all four serotypes (cross-reactive). Recent studies with human antibodies indicate that type-specific antibodies at high concentrations are often strongly neutralizing in vitro and protective in animal models. In general, cross-reactive antibodies are poorly neutralizing and can enhance the ability of DENV to infect Fc receptor-bearing cells under some conditions.

Detection of proton movement directly across viral membranes to identify novel influenza virus M2 inhibitors.

The influenza virus M2 protein is a well-validated yet underexploited proton-selective ion channel essential for influenza virus infectivity. Because M2 is a toxic viral ion channel, existing M2 inhibitors have been discovered through live virus inhibition or medicinal chemistry rather than M2-targeted high-throughput screening (HTS), and direct measurement of its activity has been limited to live cells or reconstituted lipid bilayers. Here, we describe a cell-free ion channel assay in which M2 ion channels are incorporated into virus-like particles (VLPs) and proton conductance is measured directly across the viral lipid bilayer, detecting changes in membrane potential, ion permeability, and ion channel function.

In vitro and in vivo replication of influenza A H1N1 WSN33 viruses with different M1 proteins.

The M1 protein is a major structural protein that has multiple functions in various steps within the life cycle of the influenza A virus (IAV). However, little is currently known about the role of M1 in IAV replication in vivo and the associated pathogenesis. In this study, six isogenic H1N1 WSN33 viruses, constructed to express unique M1 proteins derived from various strains, subtypes or WSN33 itself, were tested to determine in vitro and in vivo functional exchangeability of M1 proteins in the replication and pathogenesis of the WSN33 virus.

Application of a split luciferase complementation assay for the detection of viral protein-protein interactions.

Intraviral protein-protein interactions are critical for virus survival in the host. Discovery of such interactions is important to understand molecular mechanisms of viral replication and pathogenesis. The development of a cell-based assay that can be employed to examine systematically viral protein interactions is described.

The cellular endosomal sorting complex required for transport pathway is not involved in avian metapneumovirus budding in a virus-like-particle expression system.

Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) is a paramyxovirus that principally causes respiratory disease and egg production drops in turkeys and chickens. Together with its closely related human metapneumovirus (HMPV), they comprise the genus Metapneumovirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. Little is currently known about the mechanisms involved in the budding of metapneumovirus.

Nuclear localization of influenza B polymerase proteins and their binary complexes.

The viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of influenza A and B are trimeric complexes of PA, PB1, and PB2 subunits that are crucial for both transcription and replication of the viral genome. Unlike the significant progress made recently in understanding nuclear transport and molecular assembly of influenza A polymerase, little is known about the influenza B polymerase, although influenza B viruses cause severe upper respiratory disease in humans. The aim of this study was to characterize nuclear localization of the influenza B RNA polymerase proteins and binary complexes.

Torque teno virus (SANBAN isolate) ORF2 protein suppresses NF-kappaB pathways via interaction with IkappaB kinases.

Since the first discovery of Torque teno virus (TTV) in 1997, many researchers focused on its epidemiology and transcriptional regulation, but the function of TTV-encoded proteins remained unknown. The function of the TTV open reading frame (ORF) in the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway has not yet been established. In this study, we found for the first time that the TTV ORF2 protein could suppress NF-kappaB activity in a dose-dependent manner in the canonical NF-kappaB pathway.