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Viruses
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Henipaviruses: An Ongoing Threat to Livestock and Humans
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Henipaviruses: An Ongoing Threat to Livestock and Humans

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 6593

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marc Jamin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, Institut de Biologie Structurale, 38000 Grenoble, France
Interests: rabies virus; nipah virus; paramyxoviruses
Prof. Dr. Viktor Volchkov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Molecular Basis of Viral Pathogenicity, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), INSERMU1111-CNRS UMR5308, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, ENS de Lyon, 69365 Lyon, France
Interests: virology; Ebola virus; order mononegavirales; taxonomy and mononegavirales

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hendra virus (HeV) was discovered almost 30 years ago and Nipah virus (NiV) some years later during outbreaks of deadly human diseases. Their natural hosts are bats, but these viruses can accidentally cross the species barrier and infect other mammals including humans, causing severe respiratory diseases and encephalitis, and often death in humans. The high capacity of adaptation of these viruses, combined with the ever-increasing interconnectivity of human populations and changes in climate and land use, generate pandemic threats.

HeV and NiV are non-segmented negative-sense RNA viruses that belong to the order Mononegavirales and the family Paramyxoviridae but for which the new genus, Henipavirus, was created in 2002. Today, this genus contains six established species, with distributions in Southeast Asia and Australia, together with a few uncharacterized African relatives.

The recent emergence of these viruses echoes that of other RNA viruses (Ebola virus, SARS-CoV, etc.), and has prompted a variety of responses, including the study of their replication mechanisms, the origin of their pathogenicity and the underlying drivers of their emergence, as well as the search for ways to prevent, treat and control animal and human infections.

For this Special Issue, we call for original research articles or reviews that address all the different aspects of henipavirus infections, ranging from structural to medical and ecological studies.

Prof. Dr. Marc Jamin
Prof. Dr. Viktor Volchkov
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • henipavirus infections
  • molecular and cellular mechanisms of viral replication
  • structural characterization
  • mechanisms of immune evasion
  • pathology and pathogenicity
  • epidemiology and ecology
  • vaccines
  • one-health approaches

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3659 KiB  
Article
Henipavirus Matrix Protein Employs a Non-Classical Nuclear Localization Signal Binding Mechanism
by Camilla M. Donnelly, Olivia A. Vogel, Megan R. Edwards, Paige E. Taylor, Justin A. Roby, Jade K. Forwood and Christopher F. Basler
Viruses 2023, 15(6), 1302; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15061302 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1906
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are highly pathogenic species from the Henipavirus genus within the paramyxovirus family and are harbored by Pteropus Flying Fox species. Henipaviruses cause severe respiratory disease, neural symptoms, and encephalitis in various animals and humans, with human [...] Read more.
Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are highly pathogenic species from the Henipavirus genus within the paramyxovirus family and are harbored by Pteropus Flying Fox species. Henipaviruses cause severe respiratory disease, neural symptoms, and encephalitis in various animals and humans, with human mortality rates exceeding 70% in some NiV outbreaks. The henipavirus matrix protein (M), which drives viral assembly and budding of the virion, also performs non-structural functions as a type I interferon antagonist. Interestingly, M also undergoes nuclear trafficking that mediates critical monoubiquitination for downstream cell sorting, membrane association, and budding processes. Based on the NiV and HeV M X-ray crystal structures and cell-based assays, M possesses a putative monopartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) (residues 82KRKKIR87; NLS1 HeV), positioned on an exposed flexible loop and typical of how many NLSs bind importin alpha (IMPα), and a putative bipartite NLS (244RR-10X-KRK258; NLS2 HeV), positioned within an α-helix that is far less typical. Here, we employed X-ray crystallography to determine the binding interface of these M NLSs and IMPα. The interaction of both NLS peptides with IMPα was established, with NLS1 binding the IMPα major binding site, and NLS2 binding as a non-classical NLS to the minor site. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and immunofluorescence assays (IFA) confirm the critical role of NLS2, and specifically K258. Additionally, localization studies demonstrated a supportive role for NLS1 in M nuclear localization. These studies provide additional insight into the critical mechanisms of M nucleocytoplasmic transport, the study of which can provide a greater understanding of viral pathogenesis and uncover a potential target for novel therapeutics for henipaviral diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Henipaviruses: An Ongoing Threat to Livestock and Humans)
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Review

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19 pages, 7234 KiB  
Review
Structural Studies of Henipavirus Glycoproteins
by Aaron J. May and Priyamvada Acharya
Viruses 2024, 16(2), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16020195 - 27 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1212
Abstract
Henipaviruses are a genus of emerging pathogens that includes the highly virulent Nipah and Hendra viruses that cause reoccurring outbreaks of disease. Henipaviruses rely on two surface glycoproteins, known as the attachment and fusion proteins, to facilitate entry into host cells. As new [...] Read more.
Henipaviruses are a genus of emerging pathogens that includes the highly virulent Nipah and Hendra viruses that cause reoccurring outbreaks of disease. Henipaviruses rely on two surface glycoproteins, known as the attachment and fusion proteins, to facilitate entry into host cells. As new and divergent members of the genus have been discovered and structurally characterized, key differences and similarities have been noted. This review surveys the available structural information on Henipavirus glycoproteins, complementing this with information from related biophysical and structural studies of the broader Paramyxoviridae family of which Henipaviruses are members. The process of viral entry is a primary focus for vaccine and drug development, and this review aims to identify critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms that drive Henipavirus fusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Henipaviruses: An Ongoing Threat to Livestock and Humans)
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23 pages, 1473 KiB  
Review
A Survey of Henipavirus Tropism—Our Current Understanding from a Species/Organ and Cellular Level
by Sandra Diederich, Shawn Babiuk and Hani Boshra
Viruses 2023, 15(10), 2048; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15102048 - 04 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1161
Abstract
Henipaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses that have been shown to be virulent in several species, including humans, pigs, horses, and rodents. Isolated nearly 30 years ago, these viruses have been shown to be of particular concern to public health, as at least two [...] Read more.
Henipaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses that have been shown to be virulent in several species, including humans, pigs, horses, and rodents. Isolated nearly 30 years ago, these viruses have been shown to be of particular concern to public health, as at least two members (Nipah and Hendra viruses) are highly virulent, as well as zoonotic, and are thus classified as BSL4 pathogens. Although only 5 members of this genus have been isolated and characterized, metagenomics analysis using animal fluids and tissues has demonstrated the existence of other novel henipaviruses, suggesting a far greater degree of phylogenetic diversity than is currently known. Using a variety of molecular biology techniques, it has been shown that these viruses exhibit varying degrees of tropism on a species, organ/tissue, and cellular level. This review will attempt to provide a general overview of our current understanding of henipaviruses, with a particular emphasis on viral tropism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Henipaviruses: An Ongoing Threat to Livestock and Humans)
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37 pages, 1408 KiB  
Review
Animal Models for Henipavirus Research
by Declan D. Pigeaud, Thomas W. Geisbert and Courtney Woolsey
Viruses 2023, 15(10), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15101980 - 22 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are zoonotic paramyxoviruses in the genus Henipavirus (HNV) that emerged nearly thirty years ago. Outbreaks of HeV and NiV have led to severe respiratory disease and encephalitis in humans and animals characterized by a high mortality [...] Read more.
Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are zoonotic paramyxoviruses in the genus Henipavirus (HNV) that emerged nearly thirty years ago. Outbreaks of HeV and NiV have led to severe respiratory disease and encephalitis in humans and animals characterized by a high mortality rate. Despite the grave threat HNVs pose to public health and global biosecurity, no approved medical countermeasures for human use currently exist against HeV or NiV. To develop candidate vaccines and therapeutics and advance the field’s understanding of HNV pathogenesis, animal models of HeV and NiV have been instrumental and remain indispensable. Various species, including rodents, ferrets, and nonhuman primates (NHPs), have been employed for HNV investigations. Among these, NHPs have demonstrated the closest resemblance to human HNV disease, although other animal models replicate some key disease features. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the currently available animal models (mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets, cats, dogs, nonhuman primates, horses, and swine) to support HNV research. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of each model for conducting pathogenesis and transmission studies on HeV and NiV and for the evaluation of medical countermeasures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Henipaviruses: An Ongoing Threat to Livestock and Humans)
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