Special Issue "Virology in the Czech Republic – from a Great Legacy to Optimistic Future"

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021).

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tomas Ruml
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: retrovirus assembly and structure; retrovirus protein interactions and trafficking
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are currently experiencing one of the worst viral pandemics in recent history. The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has shown that we need to be prepared for new viral threats. This is true not only for emerging viruses but also for those seemingly under control. Moreover, due to global warming, some viruses may migrate from tropical regions to areas with a continental climate. Therefore, it is extremely important to exploit and interlink all possible resources and scientists worldwide in a battle against the (re)emerging threats posed by viruses. This Special Issue of Viruses aims to introduce state-of-the-art virology research in the Czech Republic, which is a country that has left a noticeable trace in the field of virology.

The reputation of the Czech Republic in biological sciences is historically backed by such personalities as the geneticist Gregor Mendel and the cytologist Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Unfortunately, research has significantly slowed down over time. The two world wars started the decline, which then continued for several decades in the countries to the east of the Iron Curtain due to poor economic conditions, travel, and communication restrictions. Ironically, the communists declared Mendel’s genetics to be capitalist pseudoscience. In the years 1948–1965, genetics was not taught in schools and its proponents were persecuted. Many excellent scientists emigrated from communist Czechoslovakia. Despite this, current research on virology in our country can draw on the legacy of some excellent personalities. Jan Svoboda was a legendary scientist in the fields of retrovirology, tumor viruses, and oncogenes. Another scientist, Antonín Holý, significantly contributed to the treatment of diseases caused by HIV-1 and Hepatitis B virus. This Special Issue of Viruses aims to demonstrate that the followers of these legends are worthy of their legacy.

I look forward to receiving your submissions for this Special Issue.

Prof. Tomas Ruml
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

particle assembly and maturation

virus entry, cell interaction and trafficking

genome replication and packaging

structural virology

virus infectivity, cell response and antivirals

Published Papers (5 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

Article
Substrate Specificity of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp10-Nsp16 Methyltransferase
Viruses 2021, 13(9), 1722; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13091722 (registering DOI) - 30 Aug 2021
Viewed by 240
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the general need to better understand viral infections. The positive single-strand RNA genome of its causative agent, the SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), encodes all viral enzymes. In this work, we focused on one particular methyltransferase (MTase), nsp16, which, [...] Read more.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the general need to better understand viral infections. The positive single-strand RNA genome of its causative agent, the SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), encodes all viral enzymes. In this work, we focused on one particular methyltransferase (MTase), nsp16, which, in complex with nsp10, is capable of methylating the first nucleotide of a capped RNA strand at the 2′-O position. This process is part of a viral capping system and is crucial for viral evasion of the innate immune reaction. In light of recently discovered non-canonical RNA caps, we tested various dinucleoside polyphosphate-capped RNAs as substrates for nsp10-nsp16 MTase. We developed an LC-MS-based method and discovered four types of capped RNA (m7Gp3A(G)- and Gp3A(G)-RNA) that are substrates of the nsp10-nsp16 MTase. Our technique is an alternative to the classical isotope labelling approach for the measurement of 2′-O-MTase activity. Further, we determined the IC50 value of sinefungin to illustrate the use of our approach for inhibitor screening. In the future, this approach may be an alternative technique to the radioactive labelling method for screening inhibitors of any type of 2′-O-MTase. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Localization of SARS-CoV-2 Capping Enzymes Revealed by an Antibody against the nsp10 Subunit
Viruses 2021, 13(8), 1487; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13081487 - 29 Jul 2021
Viewed by 439
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. One of the key components of the coronavirus replication complex are the RNA methyltransferases (MTases), RNA-modifying enzymes crucial for RNA cap formation. Recently, the structure of the [...] Read more.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. One of the key components of the coronavirus replication complex are the RNA methyltransferases (MTases), RNA-modifying enzymes crucial for RNA cap formation. Recently, the structure of the 2’-O MTase has become available; however, its biological characterization within the infected cells remains largely elusive. Here, we report a novel monoclonal antibody directed against the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein nsp10, a subunit of both the 2’-O RNA and N7 MTase protein complexes. Using this antibody, we investigated the subcellular localization of the SARS-CoV-2 MTases in cells infected with the SARS-CoV-2. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Novel Viruses That Lyse Plant and Human Strains of Kosakonia cowanii
Viruses 2021, 13(8), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13081418 - 21 Jul 2021
Viewed by 405
Abstract
Kosakonia cowanii (syn. Enterobacter cowanii) is a highly competitive bacterium that lives with plant, insect, fish, bird, and human organisms. It is pathogenic on some plants and an opportunistic pathogen of human. Nine novel viruses that lyse plant pathogenic strains and/or human [...] Read more.
Kosakonia cowanii (syn. Enterobacter cowanii) is a highly competitive bacterium that lives with plant, insect, fish, bird, and human organisms. It is pathogenic on some plants and an opportunistic pathogen of human. Nine novel viruses that lyse plant pathogenic strains and/or human strains of K. cowanii were isolated, sequenced, and characterized. Kc166A is a novel kayfunavirus, Kc261 is a novel bonnellvirus, and Kc318 is a new cronosvirus (all Autographiviridae). Kc237 is a new sortsnevirus, but Kc166B and Kc283 are members of new genera within Podoviridae. Kc304 is a new winklervirus, and Kc263 and Kc305 are new myoviruses. The viruses differ in host specificity, plaque phenotype, and lysis kinetics. Some of them should be suitable also as pathogen control agents. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Article
Five Antigen Tests for SARS-CoV-2: Virus Viability Matters
Viruses 2021, 13(4), 684; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13040684 - 15 Apr 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1210
Abstract
Antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2 (AGT) is generally considered inferior to RT-PCR testing in terms of sensitivity. However, little is known about the infectiousness of RT-PCR positive patients who pass undetected by AGT. In a screening setting for mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic patients with [...] Read more.
Antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2 (AGT) is generally considered inferior to RT-PCR testing in terms of sensitivity. However, little is known about the infectiousness of RT-PCR positive patients who pass undetected by AGT. In a screening setting for mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic patients with high COVID-19 prevalence (30–40%), 1141 patients were tested using one of five AGTs and RT-PCR. Where the results differed, virus viability in the samples was tested on cell culture (CV-1 cells). The test battery included AGTs by JOYSBIO, Assure Tech, SD Biosensor, VivaChek Biotech and NDFOS. Sensitivities of the ATGs compared to RT-PCR ranged from 42% to 76%. The best test yielded a 76% sensitivity, 97% specificity, 92% positive, and 89% negative predictive values, respectively. However, in the best performing ATG tests, almost 90% of samples with “false negative” AGT results contained no viable virus. Corrected on the virus viability, sensitivities grew to 81–97% and, with one exception, the tests yielded high specificities >96%. Performance characteristics of the best test after adjustment were 96% sensitivity, 97% specificity, 92% positive, and 99% negative predictive values (high prevalence population). We, therefore, believe that virus viability should be considered when assessing the AGT performance. Also, our results indicate that a well-performing antigen test could in a high-prevalence setting serve as an excellent tool for identifying patients shedding viable virus. We also propose that the high proportion of RT-PCR-positive samples containing no viable virus in the group of “false negatives” of the antigen test should be further investigated with the aim of possibly preventing needless isolation of such patients. Full article

Other

Jump to: Research

Brief Report
Non-Nucleotide RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Inhibitor That Blocks SARS-CoV-2 Replication
Viruses 2021, 13(8), 1585; https://doi.org/10.3390/v13081585 - 11 Aug 2021
Viewed by 731
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused an extensive pandemic of COVID-19 all around the world. Key viral enzymes are suitable molecular targets for the development of new antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 which could represent potential treatments of the corresponding disease. With respect to its essential role in [...] Read more.
SARS-CoV-2 has caused an extensive pandemic of COVID-19 all around the world. Key viral enzymes are suitable molecular targets for the development of new antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 which could represent potential treatments of the corresponding disease. With respect to its essential role in the replication of viral RNA, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is one of the prime targets. HeE1-2Tyr and related derivatives were originally discovered as inhibitors of the RdRp of flaviviruses. Here, we present that these pyridobenzothiazole derivatives also significantly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, as demonstrated using both polymerase- and cell-based antiviral assays. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop