Leishmaniavirus (also known as Leishmania RNA virus or LRV) is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus, in the family Totiviridae. Protozoa serve as natural hosts, and Leishmaniaviruses are present in several species of the human protozoan parasite Leishmania. There are two species in this genus.[3][4]
| Leishmaniavirus | |
|---|---|
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| Leishmaniavirus detected in Leishmania guyanensis parasites by immunofluorescence microscopy [2] Blue: DAPI-stained parasitic DNA Green: Leishmaniavirus dsRNA Red: Leishmaniavirus capsid | |
Virus classification 
| |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Realm: | Riboviria |
| Kingdom: | Orthornavirae |
| Phylum: | Duplornaviricota |
| Class: | Chrymotiviricetes |
| Order: | Ghabrivirales |
| Family: | Totiviridae |
| Genus: | Leishmaniavirus |
| Species[1] | |
|
LRV1 | |
History
editThe presence of virus-like particles in Leishmania hertigi was first reported in 1974.[5] Various molecular descriptions of Leishmaniavirus were revealed over the subsequent decade, and mostly performed on members of the South American L. (Viannia) subgenus of parasites (which carries the LRV1 species) such as L. guyanensis (L.g) [6][7][8][9][10][11] and then later in L. braziliensis (L.b).[2][12] Recently, interest in these microbial viruses has been renewed by a finding that they may play a role in leishmanial pathology.[13]
Prevalence
editThe prevalence of LRV1 in human parasites is still largely unknown. So far, no LRV1 has been detected in other key L. (Viannia) species, such as L. panamensis (L.p). Further, LRV1 is rarely found in species outside the Neotropics, and so far, all Paleotropic LRV isolates have shown genetic differences that were sufficient to classify them in a new subcategory named “LRV2”. This variant of LRV was first classified in a single isolate of L. major (L.m),[14] and is recorded as the only and exceptional member of L.m to carry it. Recently, LRV2 has also been found in strains of L. aethiopica (L.ae) [15] isolated from biopsies of cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in the Ethiopian highlands.
Taxonomy
editThe following species are assigned to the genus:[4]
Structure
editViruses in Leishmaniavirus are non-enveloped, with icosahedral geometries, and T=2 symmetry. The diameter is around 33 nm. Genomes are linear, around 5.3kb in length. The genome has 2 large open reading frames.[3]
| Genus | Structure | Symmetry | Capsid | Genomic arrangement | Genomic segmentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leishmaniavirus | Icosahedral | T=2 | Non-enveloped | Linear | Monopartite |
Life cycle
editViral replication is cytoplasmic. Replication follows the double-stranded RNA virus replication model. Double-stranded RNA virus transcription is the method of transcription. Translation takes place by +1 ribosomal frameshifting. Protozoa serve as the natural host.[3]
| Genus | Host details | Tissue tropism | Entry details | Release details | Replication site | Assembly site | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leishmaniavirus | Protozoa: leishmania | None | Cell receptor endocytosis | Cell division | Cytoplasm | Cytoplasm | Cell division |
References
edit- ^ Adams, M.J., E.J. Lefkowitz, A.M. King, and E.B. Carstens. 2014. Ratification vote on taxonomic proposals to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2014). Archives of Virology. 159:2831-2841
- ^ a b Zangger, H., et al., Detection of Leishmania RNA virus in Leishmania parasites. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2013. 7(1): p. e2006.
- ^ a b c "Viral Zone". ExPASy. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ a b "Virus Taxonomy: 2020 Release". International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). March 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ Molyneux, D.H., Virus-like particles in Leishmania parasites. Nature, 1974. 249(457): p. 588.
- ^ Tarr, P.I., et al., LR1: a candidate RNA virus of Leishmania. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1988. 85(24): p. 9572.
- ^ Stuart, K.D., et al., Molecular organization of Leishmania RNA virus 1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1992. 89(18): p. 8596.
- ^ Guilbride, L., et al., Distribution and sequence divergence of LRV1 viruses among different Leishmania species. Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1992. 54(1): p. 101.
- ^ Weeks, R.S., et al., Transcribing and replicating particles in a double-stranded RNA virus from Leishmania. Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1992. 52(2): p. 207.
- ^ Weeks, R., et al., LRV1 viral particles in Leishmania guyanensis contain double-stranded or single-stranded RNA. J Virol, 1992. 66(3): p. 1389.
- ^ Widmer, G., et al., Characterization of a RNA virus from the parasite Leishmania. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1989. 86(15): p. 5979.
- ^ Salinas, G., et al., Leishmania RNA viruses in Leishmania of the Viannia subgenus. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1996. 54(4): p. 425.
- ^ Ives, A., et al., Leishmania RNA virus controls the severity of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Science, 2011. 331(6018): p. 775.
- ^ Scheffter, S.M., et al., The complete sequence of Leishmania RNA virus LRV2-1, a virus of an Old World parasite strain. Virology, 1995. 212(1): p. 84.
- ^ Zangger, H., et al., Leishmania aethiopica field isolates bearing an endosymbiontic dsRNA virus induce pro-inflammatory cytokine response. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2014. 8(4): p. e2836.