The complete nucleotide sequence of the double-stranded RNA segment 6 (S6) of bluetongue virus serotype 17 (BTV-17), which encodes the nonstructural NS1 protein (1), has been determined from two overlapping cDNA clones. The S6 RNA was deduced to be 1769 base pairs in length, coding for a 552 amino acid protein (64,541 daltons). The sequence vas 99% Identical at both the RNA and protein levels t...

The nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of influenza A virus (IAV) enables the virus to disarm the host cell type 1 IFN defense system. Mutation or deletion of the NS1 gene leads to attenuation of the virus and enhances host antiviral response making such live-attenuated influenza viruses attractive vaccine candidates. Sublingual (SL) immunization with live influenza virus has been found to be safe a...

Through a process known as RNA interference (RNAi), double-stranded short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) silence gene expression in a sequence-specific manner. Recently, several viral proteins, including the nonstructural protein NSs of tomato spotted wilt virus (a plant-infecting bunyavirus), the interferon antagonist protein NS1 of influenza virus, and the E3L protein of vaccinia virus, have been ...

Influenza viruses transcribe and replicate their genomes in the nuclei of infected host cells. The viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complex of influenza virus is the essential genetic unit of the virus. The viral proteins play important roles in multiple processes, including virus structural maintenance, mediating nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the vRNP complex, virus particle assembly, and buddi...

We established a reverse genetics system for the nonstructural (NS) gene segment of influenza A virus. This system is based on the use of the temperature-sensitive (ts) reassortant virus 25A-1. The 25A-1 virus contains the NS gene from influenza A/Leningrad/134/57 virus and the remaining gene segments from A/Puerto Rico (PR)/8/34 virus. This particular gene constellation was found to be respons...

Influenza virus unspliced NS1 mRNA, like retroviral pre-mRNAs, is efficiently exported from the nucleus and translated in the cytoplasm of infected cells. With human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the transport of viral pre-mRNAs is facilitated by the viral Rev protein. We tested the possibility that the influenza virus NS1 protein, a nuclear protein that is encoded by unspliced NS1 mRNA, has th...

The innate immune response is the first line of defense against foreign pathogens. The recognition of virus-associated molecular patterns, including double- and single-stranded RNA, by pattern recognition receptors initiates a cascade of signaling reactions. These result in the transcriptional upregulation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines that induce an antiviral state. Many viruses h...

Influenza A viruses cause pandemics at random intervals. Pandemics are caused by viruses that contain a hemagglutinin (HA) surface glycoprotein to which human populations are immunologically naive. Such an HA can be introduced into the human population through reassortment between human and avian virus strains or through the direct transfer of an avian influenza virus to humans. The factors tha...