During the large outbreak of Ebola virus disease that occurred in Western Africa from late 2013 to early 2016, several hundred Ebola virus (EBOV) genomes have been sequenced and the virus genetic drift analyzed. In a previous report, we described an efficient reverse genetics system designed to generate recombinant EBOV based on a Makona variant isolate obtained in 2014. Using this system, we characterized the replication and fitness of 2 isolates of the Makona variant. These virus isolates are nearly identical at the genetic level, but have single amino acid differences in the VP30 and L proteins. The potential effects of these differences were tested using minigenomes and recombinant viruses. The results obtained with this approach are consistent with the role of VP30 and L as components of the EBOV RNA replication machinery. Moreover, the 2 isolates exhibited clear fitness differences in competitive growth assays.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6745713PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2016.06.011DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

ebola virus
12
makona variant
12
fitness differences
8
reverse genetics
8
virus
6
virus fitness
4
differences
4
differences observed
4
observed naturally
4
naturally occurring
4

Similar Publications

Article Synopsis
  • Ebola virus (EBOV) is a highly deadly RNA virus that currently lacks effective treatments or vaccines, necessitating the urgent need for new therapeutic solutions.
  • In this study, researchers used in silico methods to evaluate natural products from traditional Chinese medicine against four critical EBOV proteins, employing molecular docking to assess their potential effectiveness.
  • The findings identified eight promising compounds with strong inhibitory effects on EBOV proteins, indicating their potential as antiviral agents due to their favorable interaction with protein residues and acceptable pharmacokinetic profiles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Simultaneous Blockade of CD209 and CD209L by Monoclonal Antibody Does Not Provide Sufficient Protection Against Multiple Viral Infections In Vivo.

Immunology

January 2025

The Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study of Sichuan Province, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.

Many virus species, including Ebola virus, Marburg virus, SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), exploit CD209 and CD209L as alternative or attachment receptors for viral cis- or trans-infection. Thus, CD209 and CD209L may be critical targets for the development of therapeutic monoclonal blocking antibody drugs to disrupt the infection process caused by multiple viruses. Here, we produced a human chimeric monoclonal blocking antibody that simultaneously blocks CD209 and CD209L, namely 7-H7-B1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Ugandan health authorities declared an outbreak of Ebola disease (EBOD), caused by the Sudan virus, in September 2022. A rapid review was conducted to update the Public Health Agency of Canada's guidelines for infection prevention and control measures for EBOD in healthcare settings to prepare for potential introduction of cases.

Objective: Summarize the available evidence on personal protective equipment (PPE) use by healthcare workers (HCWs) to prevent exposure to and transmission of viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs), including Ebola virus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe disease in humans, with mortality as high as 90%. The small-molecule antiviral drug remdesivir (RDV) has demonstrated a survival benefit in EBOV-exposed rhesus macaques. Here, we characterize the efficacy of multiple intravenous RDV dosing regimens on survival of rhesus macaques 42 days after intramuscular EBOV exposure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe disease in humans, and animal models are needed to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics. While non-human primate (NHP) and rodent EBOV infection models have been well characterized, there is a growing need for an intermediate model. Here, we provide the first report of a small-particle aerosol (AE) EBOV ferret model and disease progression compared with the intramuscular (IM) EBOV ferret model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!