The Epstein-Barr virus EBNA1 protein binds to G-quadruplexes in its own mRNA hence controlling its expression and immune evasion of the virus.

The oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) evades the immune system but has an Achilles heel: its genome maintenance protein (GMP) EBNA1, which is essential for viral genome replication, but also highly antigenic. Hence, the virus evolved a mechanism to limit the translation of EBNA1 mRNA to the minimum level which allows EBNA1 to fulfil its essential function while minimizing production of EBNA1-derived antigenic peptides. This mechanism involves the binding of the arginine-glycine-rich (RGG) motif of nucleolin (NCL), a host protein, to RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4) of the viral EBNA1 mRNA.

Prevalence of transmitted drug resistance and phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 among antiretroviral therapy-naïve patients in Northern Vietnam from 2019 to 2022.

Since the rapid expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV, transmitted drug resistance (TDR) has become a major concern in Vietnam. HIV services there are transitioning to be covered by social insurance. Access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is being expanded to tackle the growing HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men.

Identification of New Circulating Recombinant Form of HIV-1 CRF127_07109 in Northern Vietnam.

Some candidates of a new circulating recombinant form (CRF) of HIV-1 were found in northern Vietnam in our previous study. We succeeded in near full-length sequencing using MinION with plasma samples from 12 people living with HIV. Three of the samples were CRF109_0107, which was recently reported in China.

Alternative splicing of BCL-x is controlled by RBM25 binding to a G-quadruplex in BCL-x pre-mRNA.

BCL-x is a master regulator of apoptosis whose pre-mRNA is alternatively spliced into either a long (canonical) anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL isoform, or a short (alternative) pro-apoptotic Bcl-xS isoform. The balance between these two antagonistic isoforms is tightly regulated and overexpression of Bcl-xL has been linked to resistance to chemotherapy in several cancers, whereas overexpression of Bcl-xS is associated to some forms of diabetes and cardiac disorders. The splicing factor RBM25 controls alternative splicing of BCL-x: its overexpression favours the production of Bcl-xS, whereas its downregulation has the opposite effect.

The hide-and-seek game of the oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus-encoded EBNA1 protein with the immune system: An RNA G-quadruplex tale.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the first oncogenic virus described in human. EBV infects more than 90% of the human population worldwide, but most EBV infections are asymptomatic. After the primary infection, the virus persists lifelong in the memory B cells of the infected individuals.

The nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) controls translation initiation in cis by recruiting nucleolin to the encoding mRNA.

Protein aggregates and abnormal proteins are toxic and associated with neurodegenerative diseases. There are several mechanisms to help cells get rid of aggregates but little is known on how cells prevent aggregate-prone proteins from being synthesised. The EBNA1 of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) evades the immune system by suppressing its own mRNA translation initiation in order to minimize the production of antigenic peptides for the major histocompatibility (MHC) class I pathway.

Sero-Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in High-Risk Populations in Vietnam.

As a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Vietnam enforced strict quarantine, contact tracing and physical distancing policies resulting in one of the lowest numbers of individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) globally. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity among high-risk populations in Vietnam. A prevalence survey was undertaken within four communities in Vietnam, where at least two COVID-19 cases had been confirmed.

Deep Sequencing of Urine Specimens Detects Two BK Polyomavirus Genotypes in a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipient.

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is an important pathogen in transplant recipients. We report four draft BKPyV genomes, three of BKPyV genotype I (subtype I-b2) (AUS-105, AUS-106, and AUS-108) and one of genotype II (AUS-107). These draft genomes were identified in longitudinal urine samples collected from a single hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient.

Complete Genome Sequences, Derived by Next-Generation Sequencing, of JC Polyomavirus Strains Isolated from Vietnamese Renal Transplant Recipients.

JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) may cause clinical syndromes such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in immunocompromised patients. Here, we report seven complete genome sequences of JCPyV genotype 7A, generated directly from urine samples from Vietnamese renal transplant recipients by using rolling-circle amplification and next-generation sequencing.

Antibiotic susceptibility and molecular epidemiology of complex strains isolated from a referral hospital in northern Vietnam.

complex is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) globally, remarkable for its high rate of antibiotic resistance, including to carbapenems. There are few data on the resistance of in Vietnam, which are essential for developing evidence-based treatment guidelines for HAIs. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted by VITEK2, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed on 66 clinical complex isolates recovered during 2009 at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases (NHTD), a referral hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam.