Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Feb 7;109(6):1907-12. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1116168109. Epub 2012 Jan 24.
Next-generation sequencing is a valuable tool in our growing understanding of the genetic diversity of viral populations. Using this technology, we have investigated the RNA content of a purified nonenveloped single-stranded RNA virus, flock house virus (FHV). We have also investigated the RNA content of virus-like particles (VLPs) of FHV and the related Nudaurelia capensis omega virus. VLPs predominantly package ribosomal RNA and transcripts of their baculoviral expression vectors. In addition, we find that 5.3% of the packaged RNAs are transposable elements derived from the Sf21 genome. This observation may be important when considering the therapeutic use of VLPs. We find that authentic FHV virions also package a variety of host RNAs, accounting for 1% of the packaged nucleic acid. Significant quantities of host messenger RNAs, ribosomal RNA, noncoding RNAs, and transposable elements are readily detected. The packaging of these host RNAs elicits the possibility of horizontal gene transfer between eukaryotic hosts that share a viral pathogen. We conclude that the genetic content of nonenveloped RNA viruses is variable, not just by genome mutation, but also in the diversity of RNA transcripts that are packaged.
下一代测序是我们日益了解病毒群体遗传多样性的宝贵工具。利用这项技术，我们研究了一种纯化的无包膜单链 RNA 病毒——禽血细胞细小病毒（FHV）的 RNA 内容。我们还研究了 FHV 和相关的 Nudaurelia capensis omega 病毒的病毒样颗粒（VLPs）的 RNA 内容。VLPs 主要包装核糖体 RNA 和它们的杆状病毒表达载体的转录本。此外，我们发现包装的 RNA 中有 5.3%是来自 Sf21 基因组的转座元件。当考虑 VLPs 的治疗用途时，这一观察结果可能很重要。我们发现，真正的 FHV 病毒粒子也包装了各种宿主 RNA，占包装核酸的 1%。很容易检测到大量的宿主信使 RNA、核糖体 RNA、非编码 RNA 和转座元件。这些宿主 RNA 的包装引发了在共享病毒病原体的真核宿主之间发生水平基因转移的可能性。我们得出结论，无包膜 RNA 病毒的遗传内容是可变的，不仅通过基因组突变，而且还通过包装的 RNA 转录本的多样性。
