Virological characters and zoonotic potential of Bas-Congo virus

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18386
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Veterinary medical science; Infectious disease medicine
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases
• Principal Investigator: Park Eunsil 国立感染症研究所, 獣医科学部, 主任研究官 (90750117)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: Bas-Congo virus / endocytosis / viral receptor / host

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bas-Congo virus (BASV) is a novel rhabdovirus, detected from patients with viral hemorrhagic fever. Since BASV has not been isolated yet, BASV-G expressing VSV pseudotype virus (BASVpv) was prepared. Using this BASVpv, characteristics of BASV were analyzed and the following results were found, i.e., 1) various mammalian cells were susceptible to BASVpv infection, indicating the broad host range of BASV, similar to VSV, 2) BASVpv infection was mediated by BASV-G protein, 3) obvious syncytium formation was induced upon transient low pH treatment of BASV-G expressing cells. Furthermore, it has been indicated that BASVpv entered the cells by both a clathrin-dependent pathway and a clathrin-independent pathway. By viral overlay protein binding assay, a cellular membrane protein was found to reacted with BASV-G protein.

Free Research Field

人獣共通感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

BASVは遺伝子配列は全長の98%が患者血清中のウイルスRNAから決定されたが、ウイルスは分離されていない。現時点では、BASVpvが唯一ウイルスの感染を模倣できる系である。BASVpvを用いて得られた感染機構や受容体候補蛋白質候補などは感染防御法開発に資する。新興感染症が大流行する中で、ウイルスが分離されない感染症においてこのような性状解析は公衆衛生学的側面から意義がある。