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Assembling of the membrane-bound viral replicase complexes (VRCs) consisting of viral- and host-encoded proteins is a key step during the replication of positive-stranded RNA viruses in the infected cells. Previous genome-wide screens with Tomato bushy stunt tombusvirus (TBSV) in a yeast model host have revealed the involvement of eleven cellular ESCRT (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport) proteins in viral replication. The ESCRT proteins are involved in endosomal sorting of cellular membrane proteins by forming multiprotein complexes, deforming membranes away from the cytosol and, ultimately, pinching off vesicles into the lumen of the endosomes. In this paper, we show an unexpected key role for the conserved Vps4p AAA+ ATPase, whose canonical function is to disassemble the ESCRT complexes and recycle them from the membranes back to the cytosol. We find that the tombusvirus p33 replication protein interacts with Vps4p and three ESCRT-III proteins. Interestingly, Vps4p is recruited to become a permanent component of the VRCs as shown by co-purification assays and immuno-EM. Vps4p is co-localized with the viral dsRNA and contacts the viral (+)RNA in the intracellular membrane. Deletion of Vps4p in yeast leads to the formation of crescent-like membrane structures instead of the characteristic spherule and vesicle-like structures. The in vitro assembled tombusvirus replicase based on cell-free extracts (CFE) from vps4Δ yeast is highly nuclease sensitive, in contrast with the nuclease insensitive replicase in wt CFE. These data suggest that the role of Vps4p and the ESCRT machinery is to aid building the membrane-bound VRCs, which become nuclease-insensitive to avoid the recognition by the host antiviral surveillance system and the destruction of the viral RNA. Other (+)RNA viruses of plants and animals might also subvert Vps4p and the ESCRT machinery for formation of VRCs, which require membrane deformation and spherule formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify host proteins interacting with Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) replication proteins in a genome-wide scale, we have used a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) proteome microarray carrying 4,088 purified proteins. This approach led to the identification of 58 yeast proteins that interacted with p33 replication protein. The identified host proteins included protein chaperones, ubiquitin-associated proteins, translation factors, RNA-modifying enzymes, and other proteins with yet-unknown functions. We confirmed that 19 of the identified host proteins bound to p33 in vitro or in a split-ubiquitin-based two-hybrid assay. Further analysis of Cdc34p E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, which is one of the host proteins interacting with p33, revealed that Cdc34p is a novel component of the purified viral replicase. Downregulation of Cdc34p expression in yeast, which supports replication of a TBSV replicon RNA (repRNA), reduced repRNA accumulation and the activity of the tombusvirus replicase by up to fivefold. Overexpression of wild-type Cdc34p, but not that of an E2-defective mutant of Cdc34p, increased repRNA accumulation, suggesting a significant role for the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme function of Cdc34p in TBSV replication. Also, Cdc34p was able to ubiquitinate p33 in vitro. In addition, we have shown that p33 becomes ubiquitinated in vivo. We propose that ubiquitination of p33 likely alters its function or affects the recruitment of host factors during TBSV replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombinant adeno‐associated viral vectors (rAAV) are promising therapies for genetic diseases. Although current platforms for recombinant vector production can generate drug material for pre‐clinical and clinical studies, rAAV biomanufacturing will eventually face commercial supply challenges if per cell vector productivity and process scalability are not improved. Because considerable efforts have traditionally focused on optimizing rAAV plasmid design, herein we investigate the impact of host cell proteins on vector production to identify proteins that may enhance rAAV yield. Using a rAAV2‐GFP‐producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae model in combination with the yeast Tet Hughes Collection screening library, we identified 22 gene candidates that improved rAAV DNA replication (rAAV‐GFP/18s rDNA ratio) and vector yield (benzonase‐resistant rAAV DNA vector genome titer) as high as 6‐fold and 15‐fold relative to control, respectively. The candidate proteins participate in biological processes such as DNA replication, ribosome biogenesis, and RNA and protein processing. The best five candidates (PRE4, HEM4, TOP2, GPN3, and SDO1) were further screened by generating overexpression mutants in the YPH500 yeast strain. Subsequent clone evaluation was performed to confirm the rAAV‐promoting activity of selected candidates under plate‐based and bioreactor‐controlled fermentation conditions. Digital droplet PCR analysis of cell lysate and AVB resin‐purified material confirmed HEM4 and TOP2 overexpression mutants displayed the highest per cell total rAAV DNA productivity (1.6 and 1.7‐fold increase over control, respectively) and per cell vector productivity (3 and 4‐fold over control, respectively). This evaluation confirmed that overexpression of HEM4 and TOP2 proteins enhanced total and benzonase‐resistant rAAV DNA yield. Further studies are needed to understand their mechanism of action and to assess their potential application in molecular strategies for rAAV production. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2725, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft tissue giant cell tumor is a rare tumor. It occurs mainly in adults, in the lower extremities, and it has not gender predominance. Clinically it has a multinodular aspect and the best therapeutic option is a conservative surgical resection. We describe the case of a 55-year-old man with a multilobullated neoformation that affected the first toe of left foot, with a hystopathological diagnosis of giant cell tumor of soft tissues. The therapy consisted on partial amputation of the affected toe, to remove completely the tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years higher education has experienced rapid expansion due to, among other things, the imperative of preparing the tables of technical, professional and research that meet the requirements of economic development, political and social life. Based on this growth and because of the curricular issues facing higher education institutions, has created a need to rationalize and systematize the curriculum development efforts taking place in them. The concept of social need is part of the deficiencies that are identified with an ideal situation, beneficial to the individual and the community, and whose satisfaction requires the response of other members of society or its institutions. The aim of this study was to identify the demand for degree programs in humanities offered by the Faculty of Arts, in various regions of the state of Puebla, specifically in the regions of Chignahuapan-Zacatlán, Teziutlán and Tehuacan, in order that can be incorporated into the model of regionalization of the Autonomous University of Puebla. The method used for this study was descriptive and analytical to carry out a survey applied to 4075 students last semester of high school in the area of social sciences and humanities. Through this work we present the results obtained in each of the identified regions and a general comparison that shows the demand for each of the degrees offered at the Faculty of Arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn is a congenital hamartomatous lesion, which involves sebaceous gland, apocrine, and trichilemmal proliferative changes. It presents three clinical stages; the last one is characterized by epithelial tumors arising. Objective: To determine the frequency and associated tumors type, as well as the clinic and epidemiologic characteristics related with them. Material and method: A retrospective analysis at the Instituto Dermatológico de Jalisco Dr. José Barba Rubio during a five-year period was made. All histopathology reports of nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn were included and three different pathologists in a blind fashion reviewed the slides of tumors arising in nevus sebaceous. Results: We included 260 cases with diagnostic of nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn, mean age 19.7 years, female sex predominance (55%), the most frequent localization was scalp (61.5%). Eleven per cent of the 260 cases were in tumor stage, with predominance in 31 to 40 years old (27.5%). Benign tumors were the most frequent (97%), trichoblastoma predominated (50%); only one case of basal cell carcinoma was found. More than one tumor was associated to nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn in 13.7% of cases. Conclusions: Arising malignant tumors in nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn are uncommon, moreover in pediatric age. Prospective studies are necessary in order to determine the real association with nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects on symptom expression of single amino acid mutations in the central region of the Plum pox virus (PPV) helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) gene were analyzed in Nicotiana benthamiana using Potato virus X (PVX) recombinant viruses. PVX recombinant virus expressing the wild-type variant of PPV HC-Pro induced the expected enhancement of PVX pathogenicity, manifested as necrosis and plant death. Recombinant virus expressing a variant of PPV HC-Pro containing a single point mutation (HCL 134H) was unable to induce this synergistic phenotype. The RNA silencing suppressor activity of PPV HC-Pro was demonstrated in a transient silencing suppression assay. In contrast, the HCL134H mutant showed no such activity. These results indicate that a unique point mutation in PPV HC-Pro impaired its ability to suppress RNA silencing and abolished its capacity to induce synergism, and clearly shows for the first time the link between these two functions in potyvirus HC-Pro. Additionally. we compared the effects on virus accumulation in N. benthamiana plants infected with either the PVX recombinant constructs or with native viruses in double infection experiments. PVX (+) and (-) strand genomic RNA accumulated at similar levels in plants infected with PVX recombinants, leading to an increase in PVX pathology, compared with plants infected with PVX alone. This finding confirms that the enhancement of pathogenicity associated with synergistic interaction is not a consequence of more efficient PVX replication due to RNA silencing suppression by PPV HC-Pro. Additional keywords: posttranscriptional gene silencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive-strand RNA viruses, which can be devastating pathogens in humans, animals and plants, replicate their genomes on intracellular membranes. Here, we describe the three-dimensional ultrastructural organization of a tombusvirus replicase in yeast, a valuable model for exploring virus-host interactions. We visualized the intracellular distribution of a viral replicase protein using metal-tagging transmission electron microscopy, a highly sensitive nanotechnology whose full potential remains to be developed. These three-dimensional images show how viral replicase molecules are organized when they are incorporated into the active domains of the intracellular replication compartment. Our approach provides a means to study protein activation mechanisms in cells and to identify targets for new antiviral compounds., (© 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Our increasing understanding of virus-host interactions is revealing a complex role for host factors during virus replication. Besides the role of some host proteins in defense against viruses, it is becoming clear that viruses also hijack several host functions to utilize them for their multiplication. Genome-wide screens using high-throughput methods are being conducted to identify most of the host factors affecting virus replication in a number of host-virus systems. For selected plant viruses, such as bromo- and tombusviruses, yeast has been developed as a model host, thus greatly accelerating genome-wide systematic approaches to identify critical host factors of virus multiplication. In plants, gene knock out T-DNA libraries and virus-induced RNA silencing, among other strategies, can be utilized to identify and characterize host factors involved in virus replication. An additional strategy to study the role of host factors is the use of dominant-negative (DN) mutants, which are mutant versions of host proteins capable of interfering with the function of the wild-type protein without the need of knocking out the given gene from the chromosome. This method allows one to study the relevance of host factors for virus replication in wild-type plants and may overcome some limitations of other methods. Here, we provide guidelines to the use of a DN mutant strategy for the study of host factors and compare the advantages and limitations with other methods. The use of more diverse methods to study gene function in plants is increasing the probability of successfully identifying and characterizing host factors affecting virus replication in plant systems.