Rabies virus
This article is about the virus. For the disease, see Rabies. For other uses, see Rabies (disambiguation).
| Rabies | |
|---|---|
| Virus classification | |
| Group: | Group V ((-)ssRNA) |
| Order: | Mononegavirales |
| Family: | Rhabdoviridae |
| Genus: | Lyssavirus |
| Species: | Rabies |
The rabies virus is neurotropic virus that causes fatal disease in human and animals. Rabies transmission can occur through the saliva of animals.
The rabies virus has a cylindrical morphology and is the type species of the Lyssavirus genus of theRhabdoviridae family. These viruses are enveloped and have a single stranded RNA genome withnegative-sense. The genetic information is packaged as a ribonucleoprotein complex in which RNA is tightly bound by the viral nucleoprotein. The RNA genome of the virus encodes five genes whose order is highly conserved. These genes code for nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G) and the viral RNA polymerase (L).[1]
All transcription and replication events take place in the cytoplasm inside a specialized “virus factory“, the Negri body (named after Adelchi Negri[2]). These are 2–10 µm in diameter and are typical for a rabies infection and thus have been used as definite histological proof of such infection.[3]
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[edit]Structure
Lyssaviruses have helical symmetry, so their infectious particles are approximately cylindrical in shape. They are characterized by an extremely broad host spectrum ranging from plants to insects and mammals; human-infecting viruses more commonly have cubic symmetry and take shapes approximating regular polyhedra.
The virus has a bulletlike shape with a length of about 180 nm and a cross-sectional diameter of about 75 nm. One end is rounded or conical and the other end is planar or concave. Thelipoprotein envelope carries knob-like spikes composed of Glycoprotein G. Spikes do not cover the planar end of the virion (virus particle). Beneath the envelope is the membrane or matrix (M) protein layer which may be invaginated at the planar end. The core of the virion consists of helically arranged ribonucleoprotein.
[edit]Life cycle
After receptor binding, rabies virus enters its host cells through the endosomal transport pathway. Inside the endosome, the low pH value induces the membrane fusion process, thus enabling the viral genome to reach thecytosol. Both processes, receptor binding and membrane fusion, are catalyzed by the glycoprotein G which plays a critical role in pathogenesis (mutant virus without G proteins cannot propagate).[1]
The next step after entry is the transcription of the viral genome by the P-L polymerase (P is an essential cofactor for the L polymerase) in order to make new viral protein. The viral polymerase can only recognizeribonucleoprotein and cannot use free RNA as template. Transcription is regulated by cis-acting sequences on the virus genome and by protein M which is not only essential for virus budding but also regulates the fraction of mRNA production to replication. Later in infection, the activity of the polymerase switches to replication in order to produce full-length positive-strand RNA copies. These complementary RNAs are used as templates to make new negative-strand RNA genomes. They are packaged together with protein N to form ribonucleoprotein which then can form new viruses.[3]
[edit]Infection
From the wound of entry, the rabies virus travels quickly along the neural pathways to the central nervous system (CNS). The retrograde axonal transport of the rabies virus to the CNS is the key step of pathogenesis during natural infection. The exact molecular mechanism of this transport is unknown although binding of the P protein from rabies virus to the dynein light chain protein DYNLL1 has been shown.[4] P also acts as an interferon antagonist, thus decreasing the immune response of the host.
From the CNS, the virus further spreads to other organs. The salivary glands located in the tissues of the mouth and cheeks receive high concentrations of the virus, thus allowing it to be further transmitted. Fatality can occur from two days to five years from the time of initial infection.[5] This however depends largely on the species of animal acting as a reservoir. Most infected mammals die within weeks, while strains of a species such as the African Yellow Mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) might survive an infection asymptomatically for years.[6]
[edit]References
- ^ a b Finke S, Conzelmann KK (August 2005). "Replication strategies of rabies virus". Virus Res. 111 (2): 120–131.doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2005.04.004. PMID 15885837.
- ^ synd/2491 at Who Named It?
- ^ a b Albertini AA, Schoehn G, Weissenhorn W, Ruigrok RW (January 2008). "Structural aspects of rabies virus replication". Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 65(2): 282–294. doi:10.1007/s00018-007-7298-1. PMID 17938861.
- ^ Raux H, Flamand A, Blondel D (November 2000). "Interaction of the rabies virus P protein with the LC8 dynein light chain". J. Virol. 74 (21): 10212–10216. doi:10.1128/JVI.74.21.10212-10216.2000. PMC 102061. PMID 11024151.
- ^ "Rabies". University of Northern British Columbia. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
- ^ Taylor PJ (December 1993). "A systematic and population genetic approach to the rabies problem in the yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)". Onderstepoort J. Vet. Res. 60 (4): 379–87. PMID 7777324.
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