Paswan, R. R. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2024

Identification of a novel begomovirus betasatellite and occurrence of a viral complex associated with leaf curl disease in Bhut Jolokia in Assam

Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) is one of the hottest chillies and an economically important crop in the northeastern regions of India. A major problem in the cultivation of Bhut Jolokia is the occurrence of leaf curl disease, which causes huge annual economic losses. The present study reveals the viral complex associated with the leaf curl disease in Bhut Jolokia collected from different geographical locations in Assam. A novel begomovirus betasatellite component was identified in two Bhut Jolokia samples, which was phylogenetically distinct from known begomovirus betasatellites. DAS-ELISA and PCR analysis confirmed the presence of multiple plant viruses including Chilli leaf curl virus (ChiLCV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Potato virus Y (PVY) and Tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) in most of the naturally infected Bhut Jolokia samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the coat protein (CP) gene of ChiLCVs and ToLCVs were highly conserved compared to the CP of CMV.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Mammalian cells-based platforms for the generation of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19. Though many COVID-19 vaccines have been developed, most of them are delivered via intramuscular injection and thus confer relatively weak mucosal immunity against the natural infection. Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) are self-assembled nanostructures composed of key viral structural proteins, that mimic the wild-type virus structure but are non-infectious and non-replicating due to the lack of viral genetic material. In this study, we efficiently generated SARS-CoV-2 VLPs by co-expressing the four SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins, specifically the membrane (M), small envelope (E), spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. We show that these proteins are essential and sufficient for the efficient formation and release of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs. Moreover, we used lentiviral vectors to generate human cell lines that stably produce VLPs. Because VLPs can bind to the virus natural receptors, hence leading to entry into cells and viral antigen presentation, this platform could be used to develop novel vaccine candidates that are delivered intranasally. HighlightsO_LIIdentification of protein requirements for SARS-CoV-2 VLP production by transient transfection C_LIO_LILentiviral transduction to create cells stably producing SARS-CoV-2 VLPs C_LIO_LIIsolation of cell clones for the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs C_LIO_LINew putative platforms for vaccine development C_LI

microbiology↗