scholarly journals Intra- and Cross-Species Transmission of Astroviruses

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1127
Author(s):  
Shanley N. Roach ◽  
Ryan A. Langlois
Keyword(s):  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Neurological Complications ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Zoonotic Potential ◽  
Extensive Disease ◽  
New Host ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Common Causes ◽  
New Host Species

Astroviruses are non-enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses that infect mammalian and avian species. In humans, astrovirus infections are one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis in children. Infection has also been linked to serious neurological complications, especially in immunocompromised individuals. More extensive disease has also been characterized in non-human mammalian and avian species. To date, astroviruses have been detected in over 80 different avian and mammalian hosts. As the number of hosts continues to rise, the need to understand how astroviruses transmit within a given species as well as to new host species becomes increasingly important. Here, we review the current understanding of astrovirus transmission, the factors that influence viral spread, and the potential for cross-species transmission. Additionally, we highlight the current gaps in knowledge and areas of future research that will be key to understanding astrovirus transmission and zoonotic potential.

scholarly journals The Evolutionary Genetics of Emerging Plant RNA Viruses

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago F. Elena ◽  
Stéphanie Bedhomme ◽  
Purificación Carrasco ◽  
José M. Cuevas ◽  
Francisca de la Iglesia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Evolutionary Genetics ◽  
Ecological Change ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
New Host ◽  
Reservoir Species ◽  
Viral Emergence ◽  
New Host Species

Over the years, agriculture across the world has been compromised by a succession of devastating epidemics caused by new viruses that spilled over from reservoir species or by new variants of classic viruses that acquired new virulence factors or changed their epidemiological patterns. Viral emergence is usually associated with ecological change or with agronomical practices bringing together reservoirs and crop species. The complete picture is, however, much more complex, and results from an evolutionary process in which the main players are ecological factors, viruses' genetic plasticity, and host factors required for virus replication, all mixed with a good measure of stochasticity. The present review puts emergence of plant RNA viruses into the framework of evolutionary genetics, stressing that viral emergence begins with a stochastic process that involves the transmission of a preexisting viral strain into a new host species, followed by adaptation to the new host.

scholarly journals Viral evolution and the emergence of SARS coronavirus

2004 ◽  
Vol 359 (1447) ◽  
pp. 1059-1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward C. Holmes ◽  
Andrew Rambaut
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Viral Evolution ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Species Boundaries ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
New Host ◽  
Viral Emergence ◽  
Mechanistic Basis ◽  
New Host Species

The recent appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS–CoV) highlights the continual threat to human health posed by emerging viruses. However, the central processes in the evolution of emerging viruses are unclear, particularly the selection pressures faced by viruses in new host species. We outline some of the key evolutionary genetic aspects of viral emergence. We emphasize that, although the high mutation rates of RNA viruses provide them with great adaptability and explain why they are the main cause of emerging diseases, their limited genome size means that they are also subject to major evolutionary constraints. Understanding the mechanistic basis of these constraints, particularly the roles played by epistasis and pleiotropy, is likely to be central in explaining why some RNA viruses are more able than others to cross species boundaries. Viral genetic factors have also been implicated in the emergence of SARS–CoV, with the suggestion that this virus is a recombinant between mammalian and avian coronaviruses. We show, however, that the phylogenetic patterns cited as evidence for recombination are more probably caused by a variation in substitution rate among lineages and that recombination is unlikely to explain the appearance of SARS in humans.

scholarly journals Family level phylogenies reveal modes of macroevolution in RNA viruses

2010 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 238-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Kitchen ◽  
Laura A. Shackelton ◽  
Edward C. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Primary Host ◽  
New Host ◽  
Individual Host ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Patterns And Processes ◽  
Human Viruses ◽  
New Host Species ◽  
Lineage Diversification

Despite advances in understanding the patterns and processes of microevolution in RNA viruses, little is known about the determinants of viral diversification at the macroevolutionary scale. In particular, the processes by which viral lineages assigned as different “species” are generated remain largely uncharacterized. To address this issue, we use a robust phylogenetic approach to analyze patterns of lineage diversification in five representative families of RNA viruses. We ask whether the process of lineage diversification primarily occurs when viruses infect new host species, either through cross-species transmission or codivergence, and which are defined here as analogous to allopatric speciation in animals, or by acquiring new niches within the same host species, analogous to sympatric speciation. By mapping probable primary host species onto family level viral phylogenies, we reveal a strong clustering among viral lineages that infect groups of closely related host species. Although this is consistent with lineage diversification within individual hosts, we argue that this pattern more likely represents strong biases in our knowledge of viral biodiversity, because we also find that better-sampled human viruses rarely cluster together. Hence, although closely related viruses tend to infect related host species, it is unlikely that they often infect the same host species, such that evolutionary constraints hinder lineage diversification within individual host species. We conclude that the colonization of new but related host species may represent the principle mode of macroevolution in RNA viruses.

Regressive evolution of an effector following a host jump in the Irish Potato Famine Pathogen Lineage

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin K. Zess ◽  
Yasin F. Dagdas ◽  
Esme Peers ◽  
Abbas Maqbool ◽  
Mark J. Banfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Irish Potato ◽  
Sequence Motif ◽  
New Host ◽  
Regressive Evolution ◽  
Host Environment ◽  
Host Jump ◽  
Potato Famine ◽  
Irish Potato Famine ◽  
New Host Species

AbstractIn order to infect a new host species, the pathogen must evolve to enhance infection and transmission in the novel environment. Although we often think of evolution as a process of accumulation, it is also a process of loss. Here, we document an example of regressive evolution in the Irish potato famine pathogen (Phytophthora infestans) lineage, providing evidence that a key sequence motif in the effector PexRD54 has degenerated following a host jump. We began by looking at PexRD54 and PexRD54-like sequences from across Phytophthora species. We found that PexRD54 emerged in the common ancestor of Phytophthora clade 1b and 1c species, and further sequence analysis showed that a key functional motif, the C-terminal ATG8-interacting motif (AIM), was also acquired at this point in the lineage. A closer analysis showed that the P. mirabilis PexRD54 (PmPexRD54) AIM appeared unusual, the otherwise-conserved central residue mutated from a glutamate to a lysine. We aimed to determine whether this PmPexRD54 AIM polymorphism represented an adaptation to the Mirabilis jalapa host environment. We began by characterizing the M. jalapa ATG8 family, finding that they have a unique evolutionary history compared to previously characterized ATG8s. Then, using co-immunoprecipitation and isothermal titration calorimetry assays, we showed that both full-length PmPexRD54 and the PmPexRD54 AIM peptide bind very weakly to the M. jalapa ATG8s. Through a combination of binding assays and structural modelling, we showed that the identity of the residue at the position of the PmPexRD54 AIM polymorphism can underpin high-affinity binding to plant ATG8s. Finally, we conclude that the functionality of the PexRD54 AIM was lost in the P. mirabilis lineage, perhaps owing to as-yet-unknown pressure on this effector in the new host environment.Author SummaryPathogens evolve in concert with their hosts. When a pathogen begins to infect a new host species, known as a “host jump,” the pathogen must evolve to enhance infection and transmission. These evolutionary processes can involve both the gain and loss of genes, as well as dynamic changes in protein function. Here, we describe an example of a pathogen protein that lost a key functional domain following a host jump, a salient example of “regressive evolution.” Specifically, we show that an effector protein from the plant pathogen Phytopthora mirabilis, a host-specific lineage closely related to the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytopthora infestans, has a derived amino acid polymorphism that results in a loss of interaction with certain host machinery.

scholarly journals The AntCardiocondyla elegansas Host of the Enigmatic Endoparasitic FungusMyrmicinosporidium durum

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Julia Giehr ◽  
Jürgen Heinze ◽  
Alexandra Schrempf
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
New Host ◽  
High Infection ◽  
New Host Species

Data on host species and the distribution of the endoparasitic fungusMyrmicinosporidium durumincreased continuously in recent decades. Here, we add the antCardiocondyla elegansas new host species. Colonies of the monogynous species were found infested in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon (South France). Samples from the nest indicate high infection rates. All castes and sexes were infected by the spores. Variations of infection rates between sampling methods and species are discussed.

scholarly journals Seasonal survival and migratory connectivity of the Eurasian Oystercatcher revealed by citizen science

The Auk ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M Allen ◽  
Bruno J Ens ◽  
Martijn Van de Pol ◽  
Henk Van der Jeugd ◽  
Magali Frauendorf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Migratory Connectivity ◽  
Space And Time ◽  
Demographic Rates ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Model Structures

Abstract Migratory connectivity describes linkages between breeding and non-breeding areas. An ongoing challenge is tracking avian species between breeding and non-breeding areas and hence estimating migratory connectivity and seasonal survival. Collaborative color-ringing projects between researchers and citizen scientists provide opportunities for tracking the annual movements of avian species. Our study describes seasonal survival and migratory connectivity using data from more than 4,600 individuals with over 51,000 observations, predominantly collected by citizen scientists. Our study focuses on the Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), a species that has experienced a substantial and ongoing decline in recent decades. Multiple threats have been described, and given that these threats vary in space and time, there is an urgent need to estimate demographic rates at the appropriate spatio-temporal scale. We performed a seasonal multi-state (5 geographical areas within The Netherlands) live- and dead-recoveries analysis under varying model structures to account for biological and data complexity. Coastal breeding populations were largely sedentary, while inland breeding populations were migratory and the direction of migration varied among areas, which has not been described previously. Our results indicated that survival was lower during winter than summer and that survival was lower in inland areas compared with coastal areas. A concerning result was that seasonal survival of individuals over-wintering in the Wadden Sea, an internationally important site for over-wintering shorebirds, appeared to decline during the study period. We discuss the outcomes of our study, and how citizen science was integral for conducting this study. Our findings identify how the demographic rates of the oystercatcher vary in space and time, knowledge that is vital for generating hypotheses and prioritizing future research into the causes of decline.

scholarly journals Controlling Avian Influenza Virus in Bangladesh: Challenges and Recommendations

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 751
Author(s):  
Rokshana Parvin ◽  
Mohammed Nooruzzaman ◽  
Congriev Kumar Kabiraj ◽  
Jahan Ara Begum ◽  
Emdadul Haque Chowdhury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Avian Influenza ◽  
Avian Influenza Virus ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Poultry Production ◽  
New Host ◽  
Multiple Virus ◽  
Virus Spreading ◽  
Virus Strains ◽  
New Host Species

Avian influenza virus (AIV) remains a huge challenge for poultry production with negative repercussions for micro- and macro-economy and public health in Bangladesh. High (HP) H5N1 and low pathogenicity (LP) H9N2 AIV are currently endemic in poultry, and both have been reported to infect humans sporadically. Multiple virus introductions of different clades of HPAIV H5N1, reassorted genotypes, and on-going diversification of LPAIV H9N2 create a highly volatile virological environment which potentially implicates increased virulence, adaptation to new host species, and subsequent zoonotic transmission. Allotropy of poultry rearing systems and supply chains further increase the risk of virus spreading, which leads to human exposure and fosters the emergence of new potentially pre-pandemic virus strains. Here, we review the epidemiology, focusing on (i) risk factors for virus spreading, (ii) viral genetic evolution, and (iii) options for AIV control in Bangladesh. It is concluded that improved control strategies would profit from the integration of various intervention tools, including effective vaccination, enhanced biosecurity practice, and improved awareness of producers and traders, although widespread household poultry rearing significantly interferes with any such strategies. Nevertheless, continuous surveillance associated with rapid diagnosis and thorough virus characterization is the basis of such strategies.

New state and host records for Agromyzidae (Diptera) in the United States, with the description of thirty new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4479 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARLES S. EISEMAN ◽  
OWEN LONSDALE
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New Species ◽  
North America ◽  
Host Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
New Host ◽  
The Usa ◽  
New Host Species ◽  
State Records

We present rearing records of Agromyzidae (Diptera) from five years of collecting throughout the United States. We review host and distribution data, and describe leaf mines, for 93 species, plus 28 others that could not be confidently identified in the absence of male specimens. We report 147 new host species records, including the first rearing records for Agromyza bispinata Spencer, A. diversa Johnson, A. parca Spencer, A. pudica Spencer, A. vockerothi Spencer, Calycomyza michiganensis Steyskal, Ophiomyia congregata (Malloch), and Phytomyza aldrichi Spencer. Phytomyza anemones Hering and (tentatively identified) Cerodontha (Dizygomyza) iraeos (Robineau-Desvoidy) are new to North America; Agromyza albitarsis Meigen, Amauromyza shepherdiae Sehgal, Aulagromyza populicola (Walker), Liriomyza orilliensis Spencer, Phytomyza linnaeae (Griffiths), P. solidaginivora Spencer, and P. solidaginophaga Sehgal are new to the USA. We also present confirmed USA records for Calycomyza menthae Spencer (previous records were based only on leaf mines), Ophiomyia maura (Meigen) (reported from the USA in older literature but deleted from the fauna in the most recent revision (Spencer & Steyskal 1986)), and Phytomyza astotinensis Griffiths and P. thalictrivora Spencer (previously only tentatively recorded from the USA). We provide 111 additional new state records. We describe the following 30 new species: Agromyza fission, A. soka, Melanagromyza palmeri, Ophiomyia euthamiae, O. mimuli, O. parda, Calycomyza artemisivora, C. avira, C. eupatoriphaga, C. vogelmanni, Cerodontha (Dizygomyza) edithae, Cer. (D.) feldmani, Liriomyza ivorcutleri, L. valerianivora, Phytomyza actaeivora, P. aesculi, P. confusa, P. doellingeriae, P. erigeronis, P. hatfieldae, P. hydrophyllivora, P. palmeri, P. palustris, P. sempervirentis, P. tarnwoodensis, P. tigris, P. triangularidis, P. vancouveriella, P. verbenae, and P. ziziae. 

Establishment of the peanut bruchid (Caryedon serratus) in Australia and two new host species, Cassia brewsteri and C. tomentella

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Cunningham ◽  
K. B. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Potential Range ◽  
New Host ◽  
Caryedon Serratus ◽  
Seed Loss ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Combined Data ◽  
New Host Species

The distribution of Caryedon serratus, the peanut (groundnut) bruchid, on 2 Australian native plants, Cassia brewsteri and C. tomentella, was documented over 2 years. Caryedon serratus was observed across the central and northern parts of the range of C. brewsteri (latitudes 19.258–24.140˚S) and at least part of the range of C. tomentella (as far as 24.427˚S). Seed loss to C. serratus in these species assessed across all collection sites was 40 ± 8.0% (mean ± s.e.). Where the bruchid was detected at a given site, 72 ± 8.6% of pods on 71 ± 8.5% of trees were affected. Additional distribution points and other potential host species from previous C. serratus collections in the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) are reported. The combined data were used to predict a potential range for the bruchid across the dry tropics of Australia. No reports of migration to cultivated or stored peanut (Arachis hypogaea) in Australia were located. Further investigation of the potential impact of this bruchid on the Australian peanut industry is recommended. A potentially beneficial aspect of C. serratus establishment may be the biological control of Acacia nilotica (prickly acacia) in Australia.

Mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea) parasitizing waxbills of the genus Estrilda (Passeriformes: Estrildidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1799-1808
Author(s):  
Maciej Skoracki ◽  
Martin Hromada ◽  
Petra Prevuznakova ◽  
Wanyoike Wamiti
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Host Species ◽  
New Host ◽  
Quill Mites ◽  
The Family ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
First Time ◽  
A New Species ◽  
New Host Species

Quill mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) parasitizing waxbills of genus Estrilda Swainson (Aves: Passeriformes: Estrildidae) from the Sub-Saharan region are studied for the first time. Among them, a new species, Syringophiloidus estrildus sp. nov., is described and new host species for Neosyringophilopsis lonchurus Skoracki, 2008, Neoaulonastus oryzivorus (Skoracki, 2011) comb. nov., and Picobia lonchurae Skoracki et al., 2016 are recorded. In our study, we examined 120 specimens belonging to seven of the 16 (44%) species of the genus Estrilda. The prevalence of infestation by syringophilid species varied from 3.7 to 25%. The host and habitat (feather type) specificity are discussed. 

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