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Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors
Published on: September 13, 2018
Characterization of the Sulfolobus host-SSV2 virus interaction
Patrizia Contursi1, Susanne Jensen, Tiziana Aucelli
1Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Biology and Physiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Extremophiles : Life Under Extreme Conditions
|August 10, 2006
Summary
Sulfolobus spindle virus 2 (SSV2) replication is significantly induced in its natural host, Sulfolobus islandicus, but remains low in the foreign host Sulfolobus solfataricus, indicating host-dependent viral life cycles.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Sulfolobus spindle virus 2 (SSV2) integrates into host chromosomes via a tyrosine integrase.
- Integration site is consistently found in the tRNA(Gly) (CCC) gene.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare SSV2 physiology and life cycle regulation in its natural host (Sulfolobus islandicus REY15/4) versus a foreign host (Sulfolobus solfataricus).
- To investigate the impact of SSV2 infection on host growth and viral DNA replication.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of SSV2 DNA replication and viral titer in S. islandicus and S. solfataricus.
- Investigation of SSV2-host interaction in a closely related strain, S. islandicus REY15A.
Main Results:
- SSV2 replication is significantly induced during the growth of the natural host S. islandicus REY15/4.
- SSV2 DNA levels remain low in the foreign host S. solfataricus.
- Viral accumulation in S. islandicus is not due to decreased packaging, as virus titer in the medium increases.
- SSV2 infection of its natural host involves host growth inhibition and induced viral DNA replication.
- SSV2 replication is also induced in the closely related strain S. islandicus REY15A.
Conclusions:
- SSV2 exhibits differently regulated life cycles depending on the host species.
- The natural host interaction involves a balance between host growth inhibition and viral replication induction.
- Host factors in S. islandicus promote efficient SSV2 replication compared to S. solfataricus.
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