The tomato calcium-permeable channel 4.1 (SlOSCA4.1) is a susceptibility factor for pepino mosaic virus.

The hyperosmolality-gated calcium permeable channel 4.1 (OSCA4.1) belongs to an evolutionarily conserved small family of mechano-sensitive channels.

Managing the deluge of newly discovered plant viruses and viroids: an optimized scientific and regulatory framework for their characterization and risk analysis.

The advances in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies and bioinformatic tools have provided new opportunities for virus and viroid discovery and diagnostics. Hence, new sequences of viral origin are being discovered and published at a previously unseen rate. Therefore, a collective effort was undertaken to write and propose a framework for prioritizing the biological characterization steps needed after discovering a new plant virus to evaluate its impact at different levels.

Genetic Differentiation and Migration Fluxes of Viruses from Melon Crops and Crop Edge Weeds.

Weeds surrounding crops may act as alternative hosts, playing important epidemiological roles as virus reservoirs and impacting virus evolution. We used high-throughput sequencing to identify viruses in Spanish melon crops and plants belonging to three pluriannual weed species, , , and , sampled at the edges of the crops. Melon and , both belonging to the family , shared three virus species, whereas there was no virus species overlap between melon and the other two weeds.

Complete genome sequence of malva-associated soymovirus 1: a novel virus infecting common mallow.

In this work, a novel viral genomic sequence with a gene organization typical of members of the genus Soymovirus was identified using high-throughput sequencing data from common mallow. This species is a vigorous wild weed native to the Mediterranean region, commonly found in borders and edges of cultivated fields, making it a suitable reservoir for plant pests and pathogens. Indeed, plant viruses belonging to different genera have been previously found infecting common malva.

New Resources for the Specific and Sensitive Detection of the Emerging Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus.

Plant viruses can evolve towards new pathogenic entities that may eventually cause outbreaks and become epidemics or even pandemics. Seven years ago, tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) emerged, overcoming the genetic resistance that had been employed for more than sixty years against tobamoviruses in tomato. Since then, ToBRFV has spread worldwide, producing significant losses in tomato crops.

Use of High-Throughput Sequencing and Two RNA Input Methods to Identify Viruses Infecting Tomato Crops.

We used high-throughput sequencing to identify viruses on tomato samples showing virus-like symptoms. Samples were collected from crops in the Iberian Peninsula. Either total RNA or double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) were used as starting material to build the cDNA libraries.

Development of monoclonal antibodies against melon necrotic spot virus and their use for virus detection.

Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) is endemic in cucurbit crops worldwide, causing epidemic outbreaks from time to time. MNSV is transmitted in nature by a soil-inhabiting fungus and also through seeds, making its detection in seed certification programs a necessity. Polyclonal antisera and RT-PCR-based detection assays have been developed for MNSV, but up to now no monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been described for this virus.

Small RNA-Seq to Characterize Viruses Responsible of Lettuce Big Vein Disease in Spain.

The emerging lettuce big-vein disease (LBVD) is causing losses in lettuce production ranging from 30 to 70% worldwide. Several studies have associated this disease with Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MiLBVV) alone or in mixed infection with lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV). We used Illumina small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) to identify viruses present in symptomatic lettuce plants from commercial fields in Southern Spain.

Stable and Broad Spectrum Cross-Protection Against Pepino Mosaic Virus Attained by Mixed Infection.

While recent pepino mosaic virus (PepMV; species , genus , family ) epidemics seem to be predominantly caused by isolates of the CH2 strain, PepMV epidemics in intensive tomato crops in Spain are caused by both CH2 and EU isolates that co-circulate, representing a challenge in terms of control, including cross-protection. In this work, we hypothesized that mixed infections with two mild isolates of the EU and CH2 strains (PepMV-Sp13 and -PS5, respectively) may be useful in PepMV cross-protection in Spanish epidemics, providing protection against a broad range of aggressive isolates. Thus, we performed a range of field trials and an experimental evolution assay to determine the phenotypic and genetic stability of PepMV-Sp13 and -PS5 mixed infections, as well as their cross-protective efficiency.

Characterization of Begomoviruses Sampled during Severe Epidemics in Tomato Cultivars Carrying the Gene.

(TYLCV, genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) is a major species that causes a tomato disease for which resistant tomato hybrids (mainly carriers of the / gene) are being used widely. We have characterized begomoviruses severely affecting resistant tomato crops in Southeast Spain. Circular DNA was prepared from samples by rolling circle amplification, and sequenced by massive sequencing (2015) or cloning and Sanger sequencing (2016).

Doing well while fighting river blindness: the alignment of a corporate drug donation programme with responsibilities to shareholders.

Objective: Using the example of Merck's donations of ivermectin, to show how tax incentives and non-profit collaborators can make corporate largesse consistent with obligations to maximise returns to shareholders.

Methods: We obtained information from publicly available data and estimated Merck's tax deductions according to the US Internal Revenue Code. Reviews of Merck-Kitasato contracts and personal interviews provided additional information regarding key lessons from this collaboration.

The importance of the five phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate synthetase (Prs) gene products of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the maintenance of cell integrity and the subcellular localization of Prs1p.

Phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate synthetase (Prs) catalyses the synthesis of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP), an intermediate in nucleotide metabolism and the biosynthesis of the amino acids histidine and tryptophan. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome contains a family of five PRS genes, PRS1-PRS5. Using anti-peptide antisera directed against two different epitopes of Prs1p it was shown that Prs1p localizes to granular cytoplasmic structures.