Human caliciviruses (HuCVs) cause sporadic cases and outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Three maior genogrovps of HuCVs have been described including the Norwalk virus (NV)-, the Snow Mountain virus (SMA)-, and the Sapporo-genogroups. This study describes the detection and genetic variation of HuCVs from hospitalized infants with AGE in Korea by RT-PCR and sequencing. The cDNA fragments of 206 to 470bp corresponding to the region of 3 primer pairs (36/35, 35/51 or 3/51) in the polymerase region of NV were generated. Of 185 stools screened, 8% were positive by RT-PCR and their sequences showed that all strains contained the GLPSG and YGDD motifs which are conserved for HuCVs. Amino acid (aa) sequence analysis showed that these strains can be divided into 3 maior genogroups. High conservation was observed in that one strain shares 100% of as sequence with Southampton virus, another shares 99% with the Sapporo virus, and six strains share 90 to 95% with Snow Mountain virus. However, significant sequence variation was also found in other strains. This study indicates that all maior genogroups of HuCVs are circulating in Korea.
Disease Outbreaks ; DNA, Complementary ; Gastroenteritis ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans* ; Infant ; Korea* ; Norwalk virus ; RNA Replicase* ; Sapovirus ; Sequence Analysis ; Snow

Influenza poses a great threat to life and health in populations worldwide. Studies regarding the protein components of influenza viruses will facilitate the research and development of vaccines and diag nostic reagents. The influenza virus contains both structural and non-structural proteins. From the outset, it has been accepted that an influenza A virus possesses eight gene segments that encode eight corresponding viral proteins, respectively. Research has demonstrated that the M gene encodes the M2 ion channe! protein and the NS gene encodes the non-structural protein, NS2. In recent years, several novel viral proteins have been identified from influenza A viruses. This article will briefly describe the state of current research into PA-related proteins of influenza A viruses.
Animals ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

There are well known infectious diarrheal disease including viral disease such as HuCVs (Human caliciviruses), rotaviruses, enteric adenoviruses and astroviruses. We performed surveillance of infectious diarrheal disease in this study for providing the information for regional prevalence of infectious diarrheal disease and establish basement of diagnostic scheme for these infectious diarrheal disease. For the study, 3,400 stool specimens collected from 10 hospitals in Gwangju from April 2000 to March 2002 were used in investigation for the detection of infectious diarrheal disease. For group A rotaviruses, enteric adenoviruses and astrovirus, we carried out antigen capturing ELISA and RT-PCR with specific primers reacting RNA dependent RNA polymerase gene of HuCVs is used for the detection of RNA of HuCVs. As a results, we detected viral antigen or genome from 537 out of 3,400 specimens (15.8%). 443 out of 537 (82.5%) were confirmed as rotaviruses antigen positively, and 14 (2.6%) and 3 (0.8%) samples were antigen positive to enteric adenoviruses and astroviruses, respectively. We detected HuCV genome from 73 (13.6%) samples by specific amplification. We found that predominantly causative virus is rotavirus in Gwangju but HuCVs take major portion of viral agents causing diarrhea considering the age and seasonal distribution of specimens. Prevalence of adenoviruses and astroviruses are very low compared with worldwide situation. While the infection of rotavirus is limited to young infant under 2 years old, infection of HuCV has wide age distribution. These results suggest that existence of various strains of HuCVs and low rate of cross-protection among distinct antigenic group make it difficult to form immunity in older age. This epidemiological information relating to various diarrheic viruses is first reported in Gwangju, therefore it could provide present prevalence of viral agents causing gastroenteritis and backgrounds to establishment of protection viral diarrhea and development.
Adenoviridae ; Age Distribution ; Child, Preschool ; Diarrhea* ; Dysentery ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Gastroenteritis ; Genome ; Gwangju* ; Humans ; Infant ; Prevalence ; RNA ; RNA Replicase ; Rotavirus ; Seasons ; Virus Diseases

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) to the proliferation of 5-HT induced pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs).

METHODSThe PASMCs proliferation experiment was performed to detect the effort on PASMCs of 5-HT or ASODN TERT (antisense oligoribonucleotides TERT designed according to the rat TERT mRNA sequence of gene bank). The immunohistochemistry staining experiment and the in situ hybridization experiment were to detect the TERT protein and mRNA expression with 5-HT or ASODN TERT. FITC marked ASODN TERT experiment was done to research the distribution of ASODN TERT in PASMCs.

RESULTS5-HT promoted PASMCs proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (10(-9) - 10(-5) mol/L). 5-HT also significantly increased TERT expression at protein and mRNA levels as shown by immunohistochemistry staining and the in situ hybridization studies. This effect could be blocked by ASODN TERT in a time and dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONSOur experiments show TERT is one of the key factors in the procession of 5-HT induced PASMCs proliferation. ASODN TERT might be a potential therapy agent for pulmonary hypertension.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; RNA Replicase ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Serotonin ; pharmacology ; Telomerase ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND: Molecular detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) using real-time reverse transcription (rRT)-PCR assays is the method of choice for diagnosis of MERS. We evaluated the performance of the PowerChek MERS (upE & ORF1a) real-time PCR Kit (PowerChek MERS assay; Kogene Biotech, Korea) a one-step rRT-PCR assay for the qualitative detection of MERS-CoV. METHODS: We evaluated PowerChek MERS assay performance in comparison with nested RT-PCR and sequencing of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and N genes. To evaluate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, 100 clinical specimens (50 positive and 50 negative for MERS-CoV) were simultaneously tested by using the PowerChek MERS and sequencing assays. Assay performance, including limit of detection and precision, was evaluated in vitro by using MERS-CoV RNA transcripts. Analytical specificity was evaluated with a diverse collection of 16 respiratory virus–positive clinical specimens and 14 respiratory bacterial isolates. RESULTS: The 95% limits of detection of the PowerChek MERS assay for the upE and the open rading frame (ORF)1a were 16.2 copies/µL and 8.2 copies/µL, respectively. No cross-reactivity was observed. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the PowerChek MERS assay were both 100% (95% confidence interval, 91.1–100%). CONCLUSIONS: The PowerChek MERS assay is a straightforward and accurate assay for detecting MERS-CoV RNA. The assay will be a useful tool for the rapid diagnosis of MERS and could prove especially important for MERS outbreak control.
Coronavirus Infections* ; Diagnosis ; In Vitro Techniques ; Limit of Detection ; Methods ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus* ; Middle East* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; RNA Replicase ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus was detected in malformed fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus strain ASI2792, one of bottle cultivated commercial strains of the edible oyster mushroom. The partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of the P. ostreatus ASI2792 mycovirus (PoV-ASI2792) was cloned, and a cDNA sequences alignment revealed that the sequence was identical to the RdRp gene of a known PoSV found in the P. ostreatus strain. To investigate the symptoms of PoV-ASI2792 infection by comparing the isogenic virus-free P. ostreatus strains with a virus-infected strain, isogenic virus-cured P. ostreatus strains were obtained by the mycelial fragmentation method for virus curing. The absence of virus was verified with gel electrophoresis after dsRNA-specific virus purification and Northern blot analysis using a partial RdRp cDNA of PoV-ASI2792. The growth rate and mycelial dry weight of virus-infected P. ostreatus strain with PoV-ASI2792 mycovirus were compared to those of three virus-free isogenic strains on 10 different media. The virus-cured strains showed distinctly higher mycelial growth rates and dry weights on all kinds of experimental culture media, with at least a 2.2-fold higher mycelial growth rate on mushroom complete media (MCM) and Hamada media, and a 2.7-fold higher mycelial dry weight on MCM and yeastmalt-glucose agar media than those of the virus-infected strain. These results suggest that the infection of PoV mycovirus has a deleterious effect on the vegetative growth of P. ostreatus.
Agar ; Agaricales* ; Blotting, Northern ; Clone Cells ; Culture Media ; DNA, Complementary ; Electrophoresis ; Fruit ; Fungal Viruses* ; Methods ; Pleurotus* ; RNA Replicase ; RNA, Double-Stranded ; Weights and Measures

Sequence comparison of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of human caliciviruses (HuCVs) from Korean children with gastroenteritis revealed significant genetic variation among them. cDNA clones were produced from the HuCVs collected from pediatric population during a period of 1987-1994. The application of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers directed to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region within ORF1 of Norwalk virus (NV) showed that 13.7% of HuCVs yielded PCR products of similar size to the NV prototype, NV8Flla/68/US, with exceptions of HuCV185/87/Korea and HuCV1115/90/Korea. Computer analyses showed that the PCR products had a continuous protein encoding frame on the positive strand, and contained GLPSG and YGDD amino acid motifs at the predicted distance from primers. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of HuCVs with previously published sequences for Snow Mountain agent (SMA), NV, and Sapporo/82/Japan indicated that these strains can be divided into four major genogroups. There were 10 (45%) SMA-like CVs, one (4.5%) NV-like HuCVs, two (9%) Sapporo-like HuCVs, and nine (41%) unidentified HuCVs. This fourth genogroup should be investigated further. HuCV185/87/Korea and HuCV1115/90/Korea, Sapporo-like CVs, were genetically distinct from previously characterized HuCVs and more closely related to known animal CVs. One of the animal CV-like strain, HuCV185/87/Korea, showed nucleotide and amino acid homology of only 67% and 73% with the prototype Sapporo/82/Japan. Further characterization of animal and human CV genomes and studies of possible cross-transmission of CVs from animals to humans are likely to be beneficial in understanding the epidemiology of HuCVs.
Amino Acid Motifs ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Child ; Clone Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Epidemiology ; Gastroenteritis ; Genetic Variation ; Genome ; Genotype ; Humans* ; Korea* ; Norwalk virus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA Replicase ; Snow

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular characteristics of Noroviruses causing outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in Huzhou.

METHODSFrom 2008 to 2010, total 119 fecal specimens collected from outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis were tested for Norovirus. Partial sequence of RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the positive samples were amplified by RT-PCR, then the PCR production were purified, sequenced and put into phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS50 of 119 specimens were positive for Norovirus by real-time RT-PCR. Out of those 50 Norovirus positive specimens, 9 were Norovirus Genogroup I (GI) positive, 35 were Norovirus Genogroup II (GII) positive, 6 was both Norovirus GI and GII positive. 12 PCR products for RdRp were selected for further studies on sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the 5 GI norovirus isolates were belonged to genotype GI/2 and GI/3. Of the 7 GII norovirus isolates, 6 were belonged to genotype GII/4, 1 was belonged to genotype Glib.

CONCLUSIONNorovirus is a major cause of outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in Huzhou and the epidemic strains of norovirus isolated from Huzhou had a high degree of genetic diversity.

Acute Disease ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; epidemiology ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Male ; Norovirus ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

To develop a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for rapid and sensitive detection of Norwalk GII. 4 primers which recognized 6 distinct regions on the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene of Norwalk GII were designed and used for LAMP assay. Norwalk GII RNA was amplified under isothermal conditions (65 degrees C) for 120 min, and LAMP results were then judged with naked eye, SYBR Green I staining, electrophoretic analysis and restriction digestion. To evaluate the specificity of the RT-LAMP, 48 fecal specimens of Norwalk GII and 12 fecal specimens of group A rotaviruses were tested. To compare the sensitivity of the RT-LAMP with that of conventional RT-PCR, Norwalk GII RNA was serially diluted and amplified by RT-LAMP and RT-PCR, respectively. With 46 fecal specimens of Norwalk GII, observation with naked eyes, SYBR Green I staining and electrophoretic analysis were able to detect the PCR products in the RT-LAMP assay. The specificity of RT-LAMP products was also confirmed by digestion of the RT-LAMP products with restriction enzymes. No RNA amplification was observed in 2 fecal specimens of Norwalk GII and 12 fecal specimens of group A rotaviruses. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay with regard to RT-PCR were 100% for Norwalk GII. The detection limits of RT-LAMP was 15.6 pg/tube for Norwalk GII and similar to that of a RT-PCR assay. Compared to RT-PCR, the RT-LAMP assay has been proven to be a rapid, sensitive, specific and accurate method for detection of the Norwalk GII in fecal specimens, and that RT-LAMP assay is potentially useful for the rapid detection of Norwalk GII from fecal specimens in outbreaks of infectious diarrhea.
Caliciviridae Infections ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; Humans ; Norwalk virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo determine the molecular characterization of Polymerase complex (PA, PB1 and PB2) genes of H9N2 avian influenza viruses and the genetic relationship of Iranian H9N2 viruses and other Asian viruses.

METHODSThe Polymerase complex (PA, PB1 and PB2) genes from seven isolates of H9N2 viruses isolated from commercial chickens in Iran during 2008-2009 were amplified (by RT-PCR method) and sequenced. Nucleotide sequences (Open Reading Frame: orf) of the PA, PB1 and PB2 genes were used for phylogenetic tree construction.

RESULTSMost PB2 and PA genes of the H9N2 viruses isolated in 2008-2009 belonged to the unknown avian sublineage which grouped with the 2004 Pakistani H7N3 viruses. The PB1 genes of Iranian viruses indicated greater genetic diversity and shared a high level of similarity to PB1 genes from either H5 or H7 subtypes with compared to established H9N2 Eurasian sublineages.

CONCLUSIONSOur findings demonstrated that the H9N2 viruses in Iran exhibit striking reassortment which has led to the generation of new genotypes.

Animals ; Chickens ; virology ; Ducks ; virology ; Genotyping Techniques ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; Influenza in Birds ; virology ; Iran ; Pakistan ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; Viral Proteins ; genetics