Chemical genetics and a global comparative analysis of phosphorylation and phospholipids in vivo shows that PKG is the upstream regulator that induces calcium signals that enables Plasmodium to progress through its complex life cycle.

SummaryCalcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) play key regulatory roles in the life cycle of the malaria parasite, but in many cases their precise molecular functions are unknown. Using the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, we show that CDPK1, which is known to be essential in the asexual blood stage of the parasite, is expressed in all life stages and is indispensable during the sexual mosquito life-cycle stages. Knockdown of CDPK1 in sexual stages resulted in developmentally arrested parasites and prevented mosquito transmission, and these effects were independent of the previously proposed function for CDPK1 in regulating parasite motility. In-depth translational and transcriptional profiling of arrested parasites revealed that CDPK1 translationally activates mRNA species in the developing zygote that in macrogametes remain repressed via their 3′ and 5′UTRs. These findings indicate that CDPK1 is a multifunctional protein that translationally regulates mRNAs to ensure timely and stage-specific protein expression.

The peptidyl-prolyl isomerase cyclophilin A (CypA) embraces an exposed, proline-rich loop on HIV-1 capsid (CA) and renders reverse transcription complexes resistant to an antiviral activity in human cells. A CypA fusion with TRIM5 that is unique to New World owl monkeys also targets HIV-1 CA, but this interaction potently inhibits infection. A similar block to HIV-1 infection in Old World monkeys is attributable to the ␣ isoform of the TRIM5 orthologue in these species. To determine whether HIV-1 restriction by Old World monkey TRIM5␣ is modulated by the CA-CypA interaction, RNA interference was used to disrupt CypA in cells from African green monkeys and rhesus macaques. HIV-1 infectivity increased in response to CypA knock-down to the same extent that it increased in response to TRIM5 knock-down. CypA knock-down eliminated the HIV-1 stimulatory effect of cyclosporin A (CsA), a competitive inhibitor of the CypA-CA interaction, or of CA mutants that block binding to CypA but caused no change in titer of retroviruses that don't interact with CypA. Simultaneous knock-down of both CypA and TRIM5 caused minimal additional increase in titer, suggesting that CypA inhibits HIV-1 replication in these cells because it is required for CA recognition by TRIM5␣. Finally, CsA increased HIV-1 titer in otherwise nonrestrictive feline cells but only after these cells were transduced with Old World monkey TRIM5␣. Thus, CypA is required for HIV-1 restriction by Old World monkey orthologues of TRIM5␣.restriction ͉ retrovirus ͉ capsid ͉ cyclosporin A ͉ RNA interference

TRIM5 is a potent retrovirus inhibitor that targets viruses bearing particular capsid (CA) residues. In most primate species, retroviral restriction requires the C-terminal SPRY domain unique to the α-isoform of TRIM5, but the mechanism by which susceptible viruses are recognized and targeted for restriction is unknown. Here we show that TRIM5α binds retroviral CA from detergentstripped virions in a SPRY-dependent manner with sufficient discrimination to account for the exquisite specificity of restriction.

SummarySince the development of vaccinia virus as a vaccine vector in 1984, the utility of numerous viruses in vaccination strategies has been explored. In recent years, key improvements to existing vectors such as those based on adenovirus have led to significant improvements in immunogenicity and efficacy. Furthermore, exciting new vectors that exploit viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) have emerged. Herein, we summarize these recent developments in viral vector technologies, focusing on novel vectors based on CMV, VSV, measles and modified adenovirus. We discuss the potential utility of these exciting approaches in eliciting protection against infectious diseases.

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SummaryA major obstacle in analyzing gene function in apicomplexan parasites is the absence of a practical regulatable expression system. Here, we identified functional transcriptional activation domains within Apicomplexan AP2 (ApiAP2) family transcription factors. These ApiAP2 transactivation domains were validated in blood-, liver-, and mosquito-stage parasites and used to create a robust conditional expression system for stage-specific, tetracycline-dependent gene regulation in Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium berghei, and Plasmodium falciparum. To demonstrate the utility of this system, we created conditional knockdowns of two essential P. berghei genes: profilin (PRF), a protein implicated in parasite invasion, and N-myristoyltransferase (NMT), which catalyzes protein acylation. Tetracycline-induced repression of PRF and NMT expression resulted in a dramatic reduction in parasite viability. This efficient regulatable system will allow for the functional characterization of essential proteins that are found in these important parasites.

Replication incompetent human adenovirus serotype 5 (HAdV-C5) has been extensively used as a delivery vehicle for gene therapy proteins and infectious disease antigens. These vectors infect replicating and nonreplicating cells, have a broad tissue tropism, elicit high immune responses and are easily purified to high titers. However, the utility of HAdV-C5 vectors as potential vaccines is limited due to pre-existing immunity within the human population that significantly reduces the immunogenicity of HAdV-C5 vaccines. In recent years, adenovirus vaccine development has focused on simian-derived adenoviral vectors, which have the desirable vector characteristics of HAdV-C5 but with negligible seroprevalence in the human population. Here, we discuss recent advances in simian adenovirus vaccine vector development and evaluate current research specifically focusing on clinical trial data.