Tasmanian Devil Virus Reveals Surprising Links

Jingchuvirales are a unique group of viruses that have a special type of genetic material called single-stranded negative-sense RNA. They belong to five families, with one of them being named Chuviridae. These viruses can have different types of genomes, which can be segmented, non-segmented, linear, or even circular, and they vary in size.

Interestingly, this group of viruses was originally thought to only infect invertebrates like insects. Recent findings, however, show that they can also be found in fish and reptiles. There are even some hints that these viruses might be hanging out in small mammals and some other animals too.

One specific virus, called the Tasmanian devil chu-like virus (TDCV), has been found in Tasmanian devils, which are adorable but endangered creatures. Over the past twenty years, their populations have plummeted due to a couple of nasty transmissible cancers. This virus was found in cancerous cells from the Tasmanian devils, and scientists think it might have something to do with their health problems.

#What We Found

In our search for TDCV, we looked at many samples from Tasmanian devils, including tissues and cancer cell lines. We wanted to see if the virus was present and how well it could replicate. We found TDCV in one specific cell line, but not in other tissues, which suggests it might prefer cancerous cells over healthy ones.

#The Evidence

Using a process called RT-PCR, we checked if TDCV was present in samples. We found it thriving in the DFT1 4906 cell line, which is a tumor cell line collected from a Tasmanian devil. The virus was present in large amounts, indicating that it was actively replicating. We did not find TDCV in other cell lines or normal tissues.

To confirm that TDCV was indeed replicating in this cell line, we looked for both positive and negative strands of the virus. The presence of both strands means that the virus was busy making copies of itself.

#Comparing Cell Lines

We compared infected DFT1 4906 cells to other non-infected tumor cell lines. We noticed some interesting differences! The infected cells looked a bit different under a microscope, being smaller and rounder than their uninfected cousins.

When we looked at how fast the cells were growing, the TDCV-infected cells were not growing as quickly as the uninfected cells. This suggests that while TDCV was replicating, it might have some negative effects on cell growth.

#Understanding TDCV's Structure

We needed to understand what TDCV was really like, so we sequenced its complete genome. This was done to ensure that we were dealing with a proper virus and not just remnants of a virus that might have gotten stuck in the cells. We confirmed the genome was intact with no weird mutations, which is a good sign!

#Seeking TDCV in Other Cells

To find out if TDCV could infect other cells, we tried it on a different tumor cell line (DFT2) and some Tasmanian devil fibroblast cells too. We saw that TDCV did well in DFT2 cells, increasing its viral load significantly, but it failed to do anything in the fibroblast cells.

This suggests a preference for the tumor cells, which is intriguing. Despite the increase in viral load, the DFT2 cells did not get sick from the virus-no visible signs of cell death.

#Testing on Mosquito Cells

Since viruses often hang out in insects like mosquitoes, we decided to see how TDCV would do in a mosquito cell line. After six days, there was no significant change in the viral load, indicating that TDCV did not establish itself in mosquito cells either.

#Digging Deeper into the Genome

The genome of TDCV has some interesting features, including four open reading frames (ORFs) that code for different proteins. These proteins play important roles in how the virus functions and replicates.

In comparing TDCV’s sequences to other viruses, we found some intriguing similarities and differences. Interestingly, TDCV shared the closest relationship with a recently discovered virus in sea squirts. While they aren't exactly best buddies, they seem to have a bit in common.

#Phylogenetic Analysis

To better understand where TDCV fits in the big viral family tree, we performed phylogenetic analyses on various proteins. The results showed that TDCV isn’t closely related to the known viruses that infect vertebrates, which opens up some fascinating questions about its origins and evolution.

#Discovering More Connection

TDCV was consistently found to cluster with the sea squirt virus in our analysis, hinting that there might be more undiscovered diversity within this group of viruses. This suggests that we might be looking at multiple origins for these viruses, especially when considering how they made their way into mammals.

#The Bigger Picture

This research provides experimental proof that TDCV can infect Tasmanian devil cells. It also indicates that there are probably other types of jingchuviruses that can infect different species, including mammals.

#The Mystery of TDCV Spread

We still have many questions regarding how TDCV spreads and whether it is linked to the cancer affecting Tasmanian devils. Since a variety of animals might play a role in these viruses, collecting more samples from wildlife would help us paint a clearer picture of their evolutionary journey.

#The Tale of Endogenous Elements

A special mention goes to the Endogenous Viral Elements (EVEs) that were spotted in the genomes of some fish and marsupials. These EVEs imply that ancient viruses may have been present in these species millions of years ago. But who knew that Tasmanian devils would be the hosts for such interesting viral guests?

#Conclusion

In conclusion, our study opens the door to new paths of research regarding jingchuviruses, particularly TDCV. Researching these viruses may give us valuable insights into their impact on hosts and the potential connections with diseases like DFTD.

We have successfully isolated a member of the Jingchuvirales family, paving the way for more in-depth studies. Understanding how TDCV interacts with Tasmanian devil cells could reveal new ways to tackle diseases in these and other endangered species.

#Future Directions

This work encourages researchers to continue looking for related viruses in wildlife. Understanding how these viruses got to mammals and their connection to diseases will be crucial in protecting species like the Tasmanian devil from extinction.

So, here’s hoping researchers will keep their eyes peeled for the next viral surprise hiding in the wild! With a little curiosity and a lot of teamwork, we might just uncover the secrets of these little viral rascals.