An Alternative Procedure for the Storage and Preservation of Vermamoeba vermiformis and Other Amoebae in the Laboratory.

Free-living amoebae (FLA), particularly Vermamoeba vermiformis and Acanthamoeba spp., have emerged as indispensable models for the study of giant viruses. These organisms provide a unique and efficient system for the isolation and replication of giant viruses, serving as known permissive hosts and thus playing a pivotal role in advancing research in this field.

A deep dive into giant viruses.

Giant viruses are a complex and diverse group infecting organisms from unicellular eukaryotes to animals. From the characterization of novel viruses to the development of advanced bioinformatic tools for taxonomy and classification, these collection of papers highlights the dynamic nature of giant virus research, uncovering new aspects of their diversity, environmental roles, and evolutionary complexity.

Investigations into the Diversity and Distribution of tRNA and Phylogenetics of Translation Factors in Amoebozoa-Infecting .

Translation is a sine qua non process for life as we know it. Translation factors (TFs) and tRNAs are rare among viruses but are commonly found in giant viruses of the class . In this study, we explored the diversity and distribution of tRNAs in giant viruses that were isolated and replicated in amoebae (phylum Amoebozoa), and investigated the evolutionary history of TFs to gain insights into their origins in these viruses.

Genomic and structural insights into Jyvaskylavirus, the first giant virus isolated from Finland.

Giant viruses of protists are a diverse and likely ubiquitous group of organisms. Here, we describe Jyvaskylavirus, the first giant virus isolated from Finland. This clade B marseillevirus was found in from a composting soil sample in Jyväskylä, Central Finland.

The final cut: how giant viruses of protists are released from their hosts' cells.

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, with an estimated 10 viruses in the biosphere. These particles serve as the crucial link between viral replication cycles in different host cells, employing a variety of release mechanisms, such as cell lysis, exocytosis, and budding. Among the diverse viral groups, giant viruses have garnered significant scientific interest due to their complex particles and genomes.

Yaravirus brasiliense genomic structure analysis and its possible influence on the metabolism.

Here we analyze the Yaravirus brasiliense, an amoeba-infecting 80-nm-sized virus with a 45-kbp dsDNA, using structural molecular modeling. Almost all of its 74 genes were previously identified as ORFans. Considering its unprecedented genetic content, we analyzed Yaravirus genome to understand its genetic organization, its proteome, and how it interacts with its host.

Geographic Distribution of Vaccinia Virus, Diagnosis and Demographic Aspects of Affected Populations, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2000-2023.

Since its first report in Brazil in 1999, outbreaks of exanthematous diseases caused by vaccinia virus (VACV) have been a recurring concern, particularly impacting rural regions. Minas Gerais (MG) State, Brazil, has emerged as the epicenter of bovine vaccinia (BV) outbreaks. This study presents a comprehensive overview of VACV circulation in MG State over the past two decades, examining the occurrence and distribution of poxvirus cases and outbreaks and the demographic characteristics of affected populations.

Revisiting the concept of giant viruses.

Giant viruses have fascinated the scientific community due to their immense particles and extensive genomes. A significant surge of interest in the field has been observed over the past 20 years following the discovery of mimiviruses, the first amoeba-infecting viruses described. However, with the discovery of new amoeba viruses and those from other protists, the concept of "giant viruses" has become increasingly controversial in the scientific literature.

Isolation and Biological Evaluation of Triterpenes from Leaves.

is naturally found in the Atlantic Forest regions of Brazil. Despite the pharmacological potential of plants from the genus, phytochemical studies on this species have not been reported in literature. A new triterpene, 28-hydroxyfriedelane-3,15-dione (), and seven known compounds (friedelan-3-one (), friedelan-3β-ol (), friedelane-3,15-dione (), 15α-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one (), 28-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one (), 30-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one (), and 29-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one ()) were obtained from the hexane extract of leaves.

A taxonomic proposal for cedratviruses, orpheoviruses, and pithoviruses.

Orpheoviruses, cedratviruses, and pithoviruses are large DNA viruses that cluster together taxonomically within the order Pimascovirales of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota. However, they were not classified previously by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the gene content, morphology, and phylogenomics of these viruses, providing data that underpinned the recent proposal to establish new taxa for their initial classification.

The genomic and phylogenetic analysis of raises questions about the evolution of Marseilleviridae lineages and their taxonomical organization.

Unlabelled: Marseilleviruses (MsV) are a group of viruses that compose the Marseilleviridae family within the Nucleocytoviricota phylum. They have been found in different samples, mainly in freshwater. MsV are classically organized into five phylogenetic lineages (A/B/C/D/E), but the current taxonomy does not fully represent all the diversity of the MsV lineages.

Design, development, and validation of multi-epitope proteins for serological diagnosis of Zika virus infections and discrimination from dengue virus seropositivity.

Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family, is the causative agent of Zika fever, a mild and frequent oligosymptomatic disease in humans. Nonetheless, on rare occasions, ZIKV infection can be associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), and severe congenital complications, such as microcephaly. The oligosymptomatic disease, however, presents symptoms that are quite similar to those observed in infections caused by other frequent co-circulating arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV).

The consequences of viral infection on protists.

Protists encompass a vast widely distributed group of organisms, surpassing the diversity observed in metazoans. Their diverse ecological niches and life forms are intriguing characteristics that render them valuable subjects for in-depth cell biology studies. Throughout history, viruses have played a pivotal role in elucidating complex cellular processes, particularly in the context of cellular responses to viral infections.

Could giant viruses be considered as a biotechnological tool for preventing and controlling Acanthamoeba infections?

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of mimivirus as a potential therapeutic and prophylactic tool against Acanthamoeba castellanii, the etiological agent of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a progressive corneal infection, that is commonly associated with the use of contact lenses and can lead to blindness if not properly treated.

Methods And Results: Mimivirus particles were tested in different multiplicity of infection, along with commercial multipurpose contact lenses' solutions, aiming to assess their ability to prevent encystment and excystment of A. castellanii.

Aminopyrimidine Derivatives as Multiflavivirus Antiviral Compounds Identified from a Consensus Virtual Screening Approach.

Around three billion people are at risk of infection by the dengue virus (DENV) and potentially other flaviviruses. Worldwide outbreaks of DENV, Zika virus (ZIKV), and yellow fever virus (YFV), the lack of antiviral drugs, and limitations on vaccine usage emphasize the need for novel antiviral research. Here, we propose a consensus virtual screening approach to discover potential protease inhibitors (NS3) against different flavivirus.

Gene duplication as a major force driving the genome expansion in some giant viruses.

Giant viruses are noteworthy not only due to their enormous particles but also because of their gigantic genomes. In this context, a fundamental question has persisted: how did these genomes evolve? Here we present the discovery of cedratvirus pambiensis, featuring the largest genome ever described for a cedratvirus. Our data suggest that the larger size of the genome can be attributed to an unprecedented number of duplicated genes.

Taxonomic update for giant viruses in the order Imitervirales (phylum Nucleocytoviricota).

Large DNA viruses in the phylum Nucleocytoviricota, sometimes referred to as "giant viruses" owing to their large genomes and virions, have been the subject of burgeoning interest over the last decade. Here, we describe recently adopted taxonomic updates for giant viruses within the order Imitervirales. The families Allomimiviridae, Mesomimiviridae, and Schizomimiviridae have been created to accommodate the increasing diversity of mimivirus relatives that have sometimes been referred to in the literature as "extended Mimiviridae".

Evaluating Known Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease Inhibitor Scaffolds via In Silico Screening and Biochemical Assays.

The NS2B-NS3 protease (NS2B-NS3pro) is regarded as an interesting molecular target for drug design, discovery, and development because of its essential role in the Zika virus (ZIKV) cycle. Although no NS2B-NS3pro inhibitors have reached clinical trials, the employment of drug-like scaffolds can facilitate the screening process for new compounds. In this study, we performed a combination of ligand-based and structure-based in silico methods targeting two known non-peptide small-molecule scaffolds with micromolar inhibitory activity against ZIKV NS2B-NS3pro by a virtual screening (VS) of promising compounds.