Latest Publications
Covert RNA viruses in medflies differ in their mode of transmission and tissue tropism
By Luis Henrandez Pelegrin
In this publication, we provide valuable insights into the viral tropism and transmission of RNA viruses in the medfly. The presence of covert viral infections in insects has been extensively reported. These infections can be transmitted in insect populations via two main routes: vertical from parents to offspring, or horizontal between nonrelated individuals. In the agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or medfly, thirteen covert RNA viruses have been described to date. Despite most of these viruses are correlated with covert infections with no obvious symptoms, infection with Ceratitis capitata nora virus is known to impair medfly development, highlighting the potential of RNA viruses for the control of medfly pests.
on medfly ovaries and testes.
To better understand the virus-host interactions, we uncovered which tissues are infected with covert RNA viruses in the medfly and which is the preferred transmission route of these viruses. Altogether, our results indicated that vertical and horizontal transmission can occur simultaneously, although each virus is transmitted more efficiently following one of these routes. As might be expected, our results indicated an association between the tropism of the RNA virus and the preferred route of transmission. Overall, the results presented in our manuscript set the basis for understanding how viruses are established and maintained in medfly populations.
Read the full-length article here: https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00108-24 or follow us on LinkedIn for updates about our research projects: Luis Hernández Pelegrín | LinkedIn
The “nudist” viruses from prehistoric times: Data-driven discovery of novel nudiviruses (Nudiviridae) from ectoparasitic insects
By Jirka Manuel Petersen
In our recent publication, “Nudiviruses in Free-living and Parasitic Arthropods: Evolutionary Taxonomy,” we review the latest discoveries within the virus family Nudiviridae. Utilizing a data-driven virus discovery approach, we identified multiple nudiviral elements and complete genomes in publicly available Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) datasets. Notably, we recovered full genomes of novel nudiviruses from the sequencing data of ectoparasitic insects, such as fleas and lice, which were previously unassociated with nudivirus infections. The newly obtained molecular information from our data-mining approach, combined with recently deposited data from other sources, necessitated an updated taxonomic and evolutionary review of this virus family. To achieve a greater understanding of the diversity and evolutionary history of the Nudiviridae, we developed a novel phylogeny. Our updated analyses led us to propose a new taxonomic structure for the Nudiviridae, suggesting two new viral genera: Zetanudivirus and Etanudivirus, which include lice-infecting members. Our evolutionary analysis indicates that significant turning points in nudivirus evolution may have occurred in ancestral lice or fleas, possibly on feathered dinosaurs (90 – 170 million years ago). Finally, we discuss the ecological role of nudiviruses, including their potential for veterinary applications to control ectoparasite infestations on avian and mammalian hosts.
