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UK Health Security Agency

NCPV Supporting Research

NCPV viruses can be used to fulfil various roles in research; for example, as the main organism under investigation, as substitute viruses to replace those that require handling at high containment, or as a means of testing sensitivity and specificity in the development and evaluation of diagnostics assays. Two studies from 2021 demonstrate two different ways in which NCPV viruses have recently been used. 

De Caluwé et al (2021) investigated the replication cycle, specifically the entry process, of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus which has a significant public health impact globally1. The study identified the CD147 protein complex as an entry factor for CHIKV in human cells. In this study, NCPV’s Ross River virus NCPV 0005281v was also investigated alongside a number of other alphaviruses; the involvement of the CD147 protein complex in the replication cycle of these related alphaviruses was also demonstrated1. In conclusion the authors suggest that due to the structural similarity between CD147 and MXRA8 (a protein domain which had previously been identified as an alphavirus entry factor), alphavirus entry could be driven by recognition of ‘structural motifs’ rather than binding to a single specific receptor molecule1.

Thirion et al (2021) evaluated real-time RT-qPCR assays for the detection of Toscana virus (TOSV), a virus which can cause central nervous system (CNS) infections in those living in or visiting Mediterranean countries2. Three assays were identified which targeted non-overlapping regions in the nucleoprotein gene; these were combined into a multiplex assay, and the sensitivity and specificity compared to the three individual monoplex assays. The specificity of the multiplex assay was tested against a number of related and non-related viruses which co-circulate with TOSV, or result in a similar clinical presentation, including NCPV’s Lacrosse virus (NCPV 0005071v). The authors conclude that the multiplex assay provides a ‘robust assay that can be used for both research and diagnostic purposes’ due to its overall enhanced performance compared to the three monoplex assays2.

We would like to hear from you via the contact us page if you have used NCPV viruses in your research. Viruses should be cited in publications as: ‘Virus Name’ (NCPV ‘Catalogue Number’), and you could feature in one of our newsletters or on the Culture Collections website.

Many scientists and researchers want to ensure the viral strains used in their research projects are preserved and made available to the wider scientific community. If you would like to deposit a strain with us, please visit our depositing pages.

Browse the NCPV collection

 

References

  1. De Caluwe, L. et al The CD147 Protein Complex is Involved in Entry of Chikungunya Virus and Related Alphaviruses in Human Cells. Frontiers in Microbiology 2021, 12, 352. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.615165

  2. Thirion, L. et al. N. Evaluation of a Trio Toscana Virus Real-Time RT-PCR Assay Targeting Three Genomic Regions within Nucleoprotein Gene. Pathogens 2021, 10, 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10030254

 

 

 

June 2021