Biology subjects

Everett, H.

Publications and source records attributed to Everett, H..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Genetic diversity and phylogeography of swine influenza A virus in 2013-2022 in Europe using a harmonized genotyping nomenclature

Swine Influenza A virus (swIAV) poses constant health threat for both humans and animals. This study comprehensively analysed the genetic diversity and evolution of European swIAVs from 2013 to 2022. To address existing classification gaps, an easily accessible full-genome genotyping tool based on Nextclade was developed alongside a global nomenclature system. Application of this tool to European sequence data revealed unprecedented genetic diversity, successfully identifying 150 swIAV genotypes mixing segments of both swine and human origin. Bayesian phylogeographic models, combined with economic data, identified that the trade of live weaner pigs for fattening drove the transboundary spread of swIAVs across Europe. The study detected repeated human-to-swine reverse-zoonotic events across multiple European countries. These findings clearly highlight the role of commercial pig movements in viral dissemination and emphasize the critical importance of harmonized genomic surveillance to monitor swIAV viral evolution to inform global pre-pandemic preparedness strategies.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Experimental infection of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) with Influenza C and D viruses results in subclinical upper respiratory tract disease

Influenza D virus (IDV), a new genus within the Orthomyxoviridae family, was initially detected in pigs and cattle. IDV is structurally similar to influenza C virus (ICV). Influenza A, C and D viruses all have non-human maintenance hosts and likely circulate in several mammalian species. Camelids, as a reservoir for zoonotic viruses, were not extensively studied until the emergence of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012. Antibody responses to both ICV and IDV could be detected in dromedary camels from Kenya but not differentiated, owing to cross-reactivity. It was unclear whether these findings reflected a technical issue or suggested a role for camelids in ICV and IDV ecology. In the present study, therefore, alpacas (Vicugna pacos), a camelid species, were experimentally inoculated with ICV (C/Victoria/1/2011) or IDV (D/bovine/France/5920/2014) to assess susceptibility and assess the antibody response. We have demonstrated that alpacas can be experimentally infected with both ICV and IDV with subclinical infection of the upper respiratory tract (URT), suggesting that virus transmission could potentially occur. These findings accord with previous serology results obtained for camelids and indicate a putative role for these species in ICV and IDV ecology.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Development and optimisation of Influenza C and Influenza D pseudotyped viruses

To facilitate the study of influenza C (ICV) and influenza D (IDV) viruses, we generated lentiviral pseudotyped viruses (PVs) expressing the hemagglutinin-esterase fusion (HEF) glycoprotein from ICV (C/Minnesota/33/2015) and IDV (D/Swine/Italy/199724-3/2015, D/Bovine/France/5920/2014, and D/Bovine/Ibaraki/7768/2016). The production of these PVs was optimised using different amount of human airway trypsin-like (HAT) protease to enhance HEF maturation, and the transduction efficiency was evaluated in multiple cell lines. Using these PVs, we established a pseudovirus-based microneutralisation (pMN) assay to measure neutralising antibody responses and adapted an esterase activity assay to evaluate PV. Specific antisera neutralised PVs but failed to inhibit esterase activity. These findings confirm that ICV and IDV PVs provide a scalable, sensitive, and safe tool for antiviral screening, and sero-epidemiological research.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

Medicago truncatula CORYNE regulates inflorescence meristem branching, nutrient signaling, and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

The CLAVATA signaling pathway regulates plant development and plant-environment interactions. CLAVATA signaling consists of mobile, cell-type or environment-specific CLAVATA3/ESR-related (CLE) peptides, which are perceived by a receptor complex consisting of leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases such as CLAVATA1 and receptor-like proteins such as CLAVATA2, which often functions with the pseudokinase CORYNE (CRN). CLAVATA signaling has been extensively studied in various plant species for its role in meristem maintenance and in legumes for modulating root interactions with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Some signaling proteins involved in development and nodulation, including CLAVATA1, also regulate plant interactions with mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. However, our knowledge on AM symbiosis regulation by CLAVATA signaling remains limited and only a handful of genetic regulators have been identified. Here we report that Medicago truncatula CRN controls inflorescence meristem branching and negatively regulates root interactions with AM fungi. MtCRN functions partially independently of the AM autoregulation signal MtCLE53. Transcriptomic data revealed that crn roots display signs of perturbed nutrient, symbiosis, and stress signaling, suggesting that MtCRN plays various roles in plant development and interactions with the environment.

plant biology↗