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Evolution of polydnaviruses as insect immune suppressors
Richard V Glatz1, Sassan Asgari, Otto Schmidt
1Insect Molecular Biology Laboratory, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia. richard.glatz@csiro.au
Trends in Microbiology
|November 13, 2004
Summary
Polydnaviruses (PDVs) are viruses used by parasitic wasps to suppress host immunity. PDV proteins damage host immune cells by disrupting their cytoskeleton, suggesting convergent evolution of immune suppression.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Polydnaviruses (PDVs) are complex viruses transmitted by endoparasitic wasps.
- PDVs play a crucial role in manipulating host immunity and development during parasitism.
- Recent studies have expanded the known repertoire of PDV genes, many of which show insect origins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanisms by which PDV proteins suppress host immunity.
- To explore the evolutionary origins of PDV immune-suppressive factors.
- To understand the functional convergence of PDV proteins targeting host haemocytes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of encapsidated PDV genes.
- Investigation of PDV protein interactions with host haemocytes.
- Comparative sequence homology analysis of PDV proteins.
Main Results:
- Several PDV proteins were identified that inactivate host haemocytes.
- These proteins target and damage the host haemocyte actin cytoskeleton.
- No significant sequence homology was found between these functionally similar PDV proteins.
- The identified proteins belong to polyphyletic PDV genera.
Conclusions:
- PDV proteins employ diverse sequences to achieve similar immune suppression by damaging the host cytoskeleton.
- Convergent evolution is a likely mechanism for the development of these functionally analogous immune-suppressive molecules.
- These findings offer new insights into PDV-host interactions and the evolutionary dynamics of viral virulence factors.