Dinoflagellates, Diatoms, and Their Viruses

Keizo Nagasaki 한국미생물학회 2008 The journal of microbiology Vol.46 No.3

Since the first discovery of the very high virus abundance in marine environments, a number of researchers were fascinated with the world of “marine viruses”, which had previously been mostly overlooked in studies on marine ecosystems. In the present paper, the possible role of viruses infecting marine eukaryotic microalgae is enlightened, especially summarizing the most up-to-the-minute information of marine viruses infecting bloom-forming dinoflagellates and diatoms. To author’s knowledge, ~40 viruses infecting marine eukaryotic algae have been isolated and characterized to different extents. Among them, a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus “HcV” and a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus “HcRNAV” are the only dinoflagellate-infecting (lytic) viruses that were made into culture; their hosts are a bivalve-killing dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama. In this article, ecological relationship between H. circularisquama and its viruses is focused. On the other hand, several diatom-infecting viruses were recently isolated and partially characterized; among them, one is infectious to a pen-shaped bloom-forming diatom species Rhizosolenia setigera; some viruses are infectious to genus Chaetoceros which is one of the most abundant and diverse diatom group. Although the ecological relationships between diatoms and their viruses have not been sufficiently elucidated, viral infection is considered to be one of the significant factors affecting dynamics of diatoms in nature. Besides, both the dinoflagellate-infecting viruses and diatom-infecting viruses are so unique from the viewpoint of virus taxonomy; they are remarkably different from any other viruses ever reported. Studies on these viruses lead to an idea that ocean may be a treasury of novel viruses equipped with fascinating functions and ecological roles.

Effects of Non-Pharmacological Interventions on Respiratory Viruses Other Than SARS-CoV-2: Analysis of Laboratory Surveillance and Literature Review From 2018 to 2021

Shi Hye Jin,Kim Nam Yee,Eom Sun Ah,Kim-Jeon Myung Deok,Oh Sung Suck,Moon Bag Sou,Kwon Mun Ju,Eom Joong Sik 대한의학회 2022 Journal of Korean medical science Vol.37 No.21

Background: Since the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs) such as extensive and comprehensive hand hygiene, mask-wearing, and social distancing have been implemented globally. This study aimed to investigate changes in respiratory viruses other than severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that occurred following the implementation of these NPIs. Methods: From January 2018 to December 2021, influenza-like illness patient specimens and specimens from the Korea Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Surveillance System were analyzed at the Incheon Metropolitan City Institute of Public Health and Environment. Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swab samples from respiratory infection patients were transferred in a virus transport medium at 4°C. After RNA or DNA extraction, respiratory virus-specific genes for human influenza virus (IFV), adenovirus (ADV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (hRV), human coronavirus, human bocavirus, and human metapneumovirus were detected by individual real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: A total 3,334 samples were collected. After NPI was implemented, the detection of respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 decreased overall. The yearly detection rate of respiratory viruses was decreased from 69.5% (399/574) in 2018 and 73.3% (505/689) in 2019 to 19.8% (206/1,043) in 2020 and 34.9% (365/1,028) in 2021. The epidemic was more prominent in respiratory viruses such as IFV and RSV, which were considered dominant viruses, especially those with viral envelopes. Among viruses that were not considered dominant, hRV showed no clear change before and after NPI, while PIV showed a rapid increase compared to the existing dominant viruses between October–December 2021, after the increase in the number of gatherings started at the end of September and the “Relaxing COVID19 and mitigation policy,” which was implemented on November 1. Conclusion: NPI seems to have influenced the isolation and transmission of respiratory viruses in South Korea. In the future, additional studies focusing on the isolation and transmission patterns of respiratory viruses following NPI are needed.

주거환경 공기 중 호흡기 바이러스의 검출

박근태,문경환,김형태,박찬정,정호철,임영희,Park, Keun-Tae,Moon, Kyong-Whan,Kim, Hyung-Tae,Park, Chan-Jung,Jeong, Ho-Chul,Lim, Young-Hee 한국환경보건학회 2011 한국환경보건학회지 Vol.37 No.4

Objectives: Respiratory virus infections are the most common disease among all ages in all parts of the world and occur through airborne transmission. The purpose of this study was to detect and quantitate human respiratory viruses in residential environments. Methods: Air samples were collected from the residential space of apartments in the Seoul/Gyeonggi-do area. The samples were collected from indoor and outdoor air. Among respiratory viruses, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, parainfluenza virus, metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus were investigated by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Among the virus-positive samples, we performed adenovirus quantification by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Virus detection rates were 44.0%, 3.8%, 3.4%, and 17.3% in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The virus detection rate was higher in winter and spring than in summer and autumn. Adenovirus was most commonly detected, followed by influenza A virus and parainfluenza virus. Virus distribution was not significantly different between indoor and outdoor environments. Conclusions: Although virus concentrations were not high in residential environments, residents in houses with detected viruses may have an increased risk of exposure to airborne respiratory viruses, especially in winter and spring.

호흡기바이러스 검출을 위한 배양법, 직접면역형광법 및 다중역전사효소연쇄반응법의 비교

윤귀현,조지현 대한진단검사의학회 2011 Laboratory Medicine Online Vol.1 No.4

Background: Rapid detection of causative viruses is important for the management of acute respiratory illnesses. To increase the detection rate and decrease the turnaround time (TAT) and cost, we used 24-well plates instead of R-mix shell vials and changes the report time from once on day 3 to twice on days 1 and 5 of culture. The detection rate and TATs of each culture method, direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA), and multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) were compared. Methods: Among 2,062 nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) received from January 2009 to January 2011, 707 NPSs were cultured in R-mix shell vials and 1,355 NPSs were cultured in 24-well plates. We analyzed 538 NPSs simultaneously using DFA, mPCR, and culture and compared the detection rate for 7 viruses (adenovirus, influenza A and B virus; parainfluenza virus 1, 2, and 3; and respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]). Results: The detection rate when using shell vials was 28.4% (201/707) and was 29.4% (399/1,355) on day 1 and 33.3% (452/1,355) on day 5when using 24-well plates. In addition, of the 53 viruses that were detected on day 5, 34 were adenovirus, 7 were parainfluenza virus, 4 were influenza A virus, 3 were influenza B virus, 4 were RSV, and 1 was a mix of influenza B and parainfluenza virus. The TAT when using shell vials and 24-well plates was 4.8 days and 2.5 days, respectively. The detection rate for the 7 respiratory viruses using culture, DFA, and mPCR was 24.3%, 20. 8%, and 38.5%, and the TAT was 3.7 days, 1.0 day, and 1.4 days, respectively. Conclusions: Using 24-well plates for virus culture is an efficient method for the detection of respiratory viruses.

Three Different Viruses Isolated from Typical Weed Plants that Grown Adjacent to Common Crop Fields

Kwon, Sun-Jung,Choi, Hong-Soo,Han, Jung-Heon,La, Yong-Joon,Kim, Kook-Hyung The Korean Society of Plant Pathology 2000 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.16 No.6

Weeds are widely grown in the field and are infected by many viruses. A survey was conducted to identify viruses infecting weeds in Korea. Virus-infected weed samples including Rorippa indica (L.) Hiern, R. islandica (Oed.) Bord, Crepidiastrum denticulatum (Houtt.) Pak & Kawanno, Achyranthes japonica (Miq.) Nakai, and Chrysanthemum boreale (Makino) Makino were collected in Kyonggi Province. These weeds were grown in the greenhouse and were isolated on 10 test plants. Several virus isolates were isolated fron infected tissues and were further studied by host range assay, serological test, electron microscopy (EM), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing. Each isolated virus strain was mechanically transmitted to weeds and various hosts including Nicotiana spp., Brassica spp., Vigna unguiculata, Capsicum annuum, and Cucumis sativus and showed systemic mosaic, vein clearing, necrosis, mottle, malformation, chlorosis, and/or death of host plants in some cases. Each virus was then purified using infected leaves and observed by EM. From these results three viruses were isolated and identified as Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), Broad bean wilt virus (BBWV), and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). RT-PCR using virus-specific oligonucleotide primers and the cloning were conducted to determine the nucleotide sequences of coat proteins of the three viruses their amino acid sequence were deduced. The amino acid sequence homologies were about 92.7 to 99.7%, 96.2 to 97.7%, and 93.9 to 98.6% to other reported TuMV, BBWV, and CMV strains, respectively. These results suggest that many weeds may serve as primary inoculum source of diseases caused by TuMV, BBWV, CMV and that the management of these viral diseases can be achieved through weed control.

Oncolytic Viruses - A New Era for Cancer Therapy

Daniel Ngabire(다니엘 가비르),Irvine Niyonizigiye(이르빈 니요니지기에),Min-jae Kang(강민재),Gun-Do Kim(김군도) 한국생명과학회 2019 생명과학회지 Vol.29 No.7

최근 수십 년 간 종양 용해성 바이러스(Oncolytic viruses; OV)는 암 치료제로서의 잠재성에 의해 광범위하게 연구되어왔다. 종양 용해성 바이러스는 두 가지의 독특한 장점을 가지고 있는데, 첫째로 암세포만을 특이적으로 감염시키고 사멸시킬 수 있다는 것이고, 두 번째로는 암이 진행되는 초기 단계에 숨어서 인식되지 않는 상태인 종양 관련 항원들을 인식하는 특정한 적응 면역을 활성화 시키는 것이다. 2015년에는 유전자 변형 종양 용해성 바이러스인 Talminogene laherparepvec (T-VEC)이 미국 식약청(FDA)의 승인을 받았으며, 현재는 다양한 종양 용해성 바이러스들이 단일로 사용되거나 기존의 암 치료 방법인 면역 치료법, 방사선 치료법, 화학 치료법과 함께 사용되어 임상 시험에서 활성이 연구되고 있다. 종양 용해성 바이러스 치료법의 효능은 항 종양 면역 활성과 항바이러스 반응의 균형이 어느 정도인가에 의해 조절되기 때문에, 획기적인 성과에도 불구하고 암 치료를 위한 종양 용해성 바이러스의 개발은 전달 방법, 바이러스를 인식하는 신체 내 항체 및 종양의 복잡성, 가변성, 반응성에 따른 항바이러스의 면역 유도와 같은 다양한 장애물을 극복하여야 하는 문제가 있다. 종양 내에 직접 종양 용해성 바이러스를 투여하는 방법은 눈에 띄는 부작용이 없이 고형 종양을 줄이는 것에 성공하였으나, 아쉽게도 뇌종양 같은 일부 종양에는 사용할 수 없고 전신 투여가 필요한 단점이 존재한다. 이러한 장애물들을 극복하기 위해서 종양 용해성 바이러스의 효능을 높이기 위한 형질 전환 유전자의 삽입 혹은 면역 조절 물질과 바이러스를 조합하는 등의 다양한 전략들이 개발되고 있다. In recent decades, oncolytic viruses (OVs) have extensively been investigated as a potential cancer drug. Oncolytic viruses have primarily the unique advantage in the fact that they can only infect and destroy cancer cells. Secondary, oncolytic viruses induce the activation of specific adaptive immunity which targets tumor-associated antigens that were hidden during the initial cancer progression. In 2015, one genetically modified oncolytic virus, talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC), was approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of melanoma. Currently, various oncolytic viruses are being investigated in clinical trials as monotherapy or in combination with preexistent cancer therapies like immunotherapy, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy relies on the balance between the induced anti-tumor immunity and the anti-viral response. Despite the revolutionary outcome, the development of oncolytic viruses for the treatment of cancer faces a number of obstacles such as delivery method, neutralizing antibodies and induction of antiviral immunity due to the complexity, variability and reactivity of tumors. Intratumoral administration has been successful reducing considerably solid tumors with no notable side effects unfortunately some tumors are not accessible (brain) and require a systemic administration of the oncolytic viruses. In order to overcome these hurdles, various strategies to enhance the efficacy of oncolytic viruses have been developed which include the insertion of transgenes or combination with immune- modulatory substances.

Identification of Leonurus sibiricus as a Weed Reservoir for Three Pepper-Infecting Viruses

Kwon, Sun-Jung,Choi, Gug-Seoun,Yoon, Ju-Yeon,Seo, Jang-Kyun,Choi, Hong-Soo The Korean Society of Plant Pathology 2016 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.32 No.1

In plant virus ecology, weeds are regarded as wild reservoirs of viruses and as potential sources for insect-mediated transmission of viruses. During field surveys in 2013-2014, three Leonurus sibiricus plants showing virus-like symptoms were collected from pepper fields in Daegu, Seosan, and Danyang in Korea. Molecular diagnosis assays showed that the collected L. sibiricus samples were infected with either Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), or Beet western yellow virus (BWYV), respectively. Since this is the first identification of TSWV, PMMoV, and BWYV from L. sibiricus, complete genome sequences of three virus isolates were determined to examine their phylogenetic relationships with the previously reported strains and isolates. Phylogenetic analyses performed using full genome sequences of the viruses showed the isolates of TSWV and PMMoV obtained from L. sibiricus are closely related to the pepper isolates of the corresponding viruses. Our results suggest that L. sibiricus could act an alternative host and reservoir of viruses that cause damages in pepper fields.

Identification of Leonurus sibiricus as a Weed Reservoir for Three Pepper-Infecting Viruses

권선정,최국선,윤주연,서장균,최홍수 한국식물병리학회 2016 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.32 No.1

In plant virus ecology, weeds are regarded as wild reservoirs of viruses and as potential sources for insectmediated transmission of viruses. During field surveys in 2013-2014, three Leonurus sibiricus plants showing virus-like symptoms were collected from pepper fields in Daegu, Seosan, and Danyang in Korea. Molecular diagnosis assays showed that the collected L. sibiricus samples were infected with either Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), or Beet western yellow virus (BWYV), respectively. Since this is the first identification of TSWV, PMMoV, and BWYV from L. sibiricus, complete genome sequences of three virus isolates were determined to examine their phylogenetic relationships with the previously reported strains and isolates. Phylogenetic analyses performed using full genome sequences of the viruses showed the isolates of TSWV and PMMoV obtained from L. sibiricus are closely related to the pepper isolates of the corresponding viruses. Our results suggest that L. sibiricus could act an alternative host and reservoir of viruses that cause damages in pepper fields.

Associated Factors with Respiratory Virus Detection in Newborn with Suspected Infection

( Jin-hyeok Lee ),( Sun-young Cho ),( Myo-jing Kim ) 대한주산의학회 2017 大韓周産醫學會雜誌 Vol.28 No.4

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the detection rate of respiratory viruses and investigate the associated factors with respiratory virus detection in newborn infants with suspected infection. Methods: From January 2013 to December 2015, respiratory virus real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results were obtained from 136 newborn infants aged ≤28 days who admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Dong-A University Hospital with suspected infectious diseases. We performed a retrospective analysis of the detection rate of respiratory virus, classes of respiratory viruses, clinical characteristics, and social environment characteristics associated with respiratory virus detection. Results: Of the 136 infants, 36 infants (26.5%) had the 37 following respiratory viruses: Respiratory syncytial virus (n=23), Rhinovirus (n=10), Parainfluenza virus (n=2), Influenza virus (n=1), and Corona virus (n=1). The detection of respiratory viruses was significantly associated with the old age at admission (17.3±5.8 vs. 10.6±6.8 days), the presence of respiratory symptoms: cough (72.2% vs. 7%), rhinorrhea (63.9% vs. 10%), rale (16.7% vs. 1%), a family history of respiratory illness (38.9% vs. 13%), especially siblings’ respiratory illness (33.3% vs. 8%), and a seasonal preference (October-March) (80.6% vs. 50%) (P<0.01). Conclusion: Respiratory virus is an important pathogen in newborn infants admitted to the NICU, who are suspected with infectious diseases. Respiratory virus detection was associated with admission age, presence of respiratory symptoms, a family history of respiratory illness, and seasonality.

The Current Incidence of Viral Disease in Korean Sweet Potatoes and Development of Multiplex RT-PCR Assays for Simultaneous Detection of Eight Sweet Potato Viruses

Kwak, Hae-Ryun,Kim, Mi-Kyeong,Shin, Jun-Chul,Lee, Ye-Ji,Seo, Jang-Kyun,Lee, Hyeong-Un,Jung, Mi-Nam,Kim, Sun-Hyung,Choi, Hong-Soo The Korean Society of Plant Pathology 2014 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.30 No.4

Sweet potato is grown extensively from tropical to temperate regions and is an important food crop worldwide. In this study, we established detection methods for 17 major sweet potato viruses using single and multiplex RT-PCR assays. To investigate the current incidence of viral diseases, we collected 154 samples of various sweet potato cultivars showing virus-like symptoms from 40 fields in 10 Korean regions, and analyzed them by RT-PCR using specific primers for each of the 17 viruses. Of the 17 possible viruses, we detected eight in our samples. Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and sweet potato virus C (SPVC) were most commonly detected, infecting approximately 87% and 85% of samples, respectively. Furthermore, Sweet potato symptomless virus 1 (SPSMV-1), Sweet potato virus G (SPVG), Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), Sweet potato virus 2 ( SPV2), Sweet potato chlorotic fleck virus (SPCFV), and Sweet potato latent virus (SPLV) were detected in 67%, 58%, 47%, 41%, 31%, and 20% of samples, respectively. This study presents the first documented occurrence of four viruses (SPVC, SPV2, SPCFV, and SPSMV-1) in Korea. Based on the results of our survey, we developed multiplex RT-PCR assays for simple and simultaneous detection of the eight sweet potato viruses we recorded.