Rotaviruses is the most common cause of diarrheal disease in infants and children. It kills
hundreds of thousands of infants each year. Although current vaccines are
effective in preventing aggravation of rotaviruses, the development of
more effective vaccines at lower cost is expected.
Technology cannot
study well how rotaviruses invade and replicate in a cell. To identify
which genes are crucial for the infection of rotaviruses, scientists at
the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases at Osaka University report
a new plasmid-based reverse genetics system.
Keeping Rotavirus at Bay
Virus such as influenza via specific characteristics of viral ribonucleic acid can be detected by our immunosensory system.
Advertisement
‘To identify which genes are crucial for the infection of rotaviruses, scientists have developed a new plasmid-based reverse genetics system.’
Tweet it Now
The study can be read in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
"Reverse genetics allows us to generate artificially engineered
viruses", says Associate Professor Takeshi Kobayashi, who led the study.
"Using reverse genetics, we can mutate a gene and see its effects on
the virus," he added.
![Rotavirus Vaccination Leads to Sharp Fall in GP Visits for Acute Gastroenteritis]( "Rotavirus Vaccination Leads to Sharp Fall in GP Visits for Acute Gastroenteritis")
There has been a decrease in hospitalizations and Emergency Department visits for acute gastroenteritis among adults and children.
Reverse genetics systems have been developed for a wide number of viruses to study the conditions in which a virus thrives, but systems for multiple-segmented RNA-based viruses like rotaviruses have proven more difficult. Kobayashi's group solved this problem by including two viral proteins, FAST and VV capping enzyme, into their plasmid-based system. Taking advantage, the researchers tested their system by mutating a single protein of rotaviruses, NSP1, finding that they could decrease viral replication.
Through comprehensive testing of all proteins in future studies, Kobayashi expects to find the key determinants that make rotaviruses a severe pubic threat. "We could modify the propagation and pathogenicity of the rotavirus", he said.
Kobayashi is optimistic about how plasmid-based reverse genetics system will bring new innovations to combat rotaviruses. "Because no one could synthesize rotaviruses artificially, less is known about the replication and pathogenesis." He expects the system will increase the number of labs working on rotaviruses and lead to more effective vaccines.
Source: Eurekalert
Rotavirus Vaccination Leads to Sharp Fall in GP Visits for Acute Gastroenteritis
There has been a decrease in hospitalizations and Emergency Department visits for acute gastroenteritis among adults and children.
Advertisement
Reverse genetics systems have been developed for a wide number of viruses to study the conditions in which a virus thrives, but systems for multiple-segmented RNA-based viruses like rotaviruses have proven more difficult. Kobayashi's group solved this problem by including two viral proteins, FAST and VV capping enzyme, into their plasmid-based system. Taking advantage, the researchers tested their system by mutating a single protein of rotaviruses, NSP1, finding that they could decrease viral replication.
Through comprehensive testing of all proteins in future studies, Kobayashi expects to find the key determinants that make rotaviruses a severe pubic threat. "We could modify the propagation and pathogenicity of the rotavirus", he said.
Kobayashi is optimistic about how plasmid-based reverse genetics system will bring new innovations to combat rotaviruses. "Because no one could synthesize rotaviruses artificially, less is known about the replication and pathogenesis." He expects the system will increase the number of labs working on rotaviruses and lead to more effective vaccines.
Source: Eurekalert
Novel Treatment to Stop Rotavirus Infection
Rotavirus is transmitted by the faecal-oral route, via contact with contaminated hands, surfaces and objects, and possibly by the respiratory route.
Advertisement
 Delhi High Court Dismisses PIL On Clinical Trials Of Rotavirus VaccineThe PIL was filed by a member of NTAGI seeking to restrain the government from moving on to phase IV trials in which over one lakh children would be administered the vaccine. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
