⚡ Quick Summary
A recent study has identified a novel RNA virus associated with the zoonotic pathogen Plasmodium knowlesi, which causes malaria in humans. This discovery marks the first observation of an RNA virus in a zoonotic Plasmodium species, highlighting the need for innovative strategies to combat malaria.
🔍 Key Details
- 📊 Study Location: Sabah, East Malaysia
- 🦠 Pathogen: Plasmodium knowlesi
- 🧬 Virus Identified: Highly divergent RNA virus related to ‘ormycoviruses’
- 🔍 Methodology: Structure- and AI-based methods for virus discovery
- 📈 Findings: Characterization of 15 additional ormycoviruses
🔑 Key Takeaways
- 🌍 First identification of an RNA virus in a zoonotic Plasmodium species.
- 💡 Innovative approaches using AI are expanding our understanding of the RNA virosphere.
- 🦠 Ormycoviruses exhibit complex ecology at the arthropod-mammal interface.
- 📊 Data integration from small-scale experiments to large-scale virus discovery is crucial.
- 🔬 Understanding how viruses affect parasite fitness and treatment outcomes is essential.
- 🚨 Rising cases of P. knowlesi necessitate new malaria control strategies.
📚 Background
The Apicomplexa phylum includes single-celled eukaryotes like Plasmodium, responsible for malaria. With increasing drug resistance in human-only Plasmodium species, the efficacy of current control measures is diminishing. Notably, P. knowlesi is the only zoonotic species causing severe disease in humans, underscoring the urgent need for innovative solutions to combat malaria.
🗒️ Study
This study focused on the virome of human-infecting Plasmodium species in Sabah, East Malaysia. Researchers utilized advanced structure- and artificial intelligence-based methods to uncover a highly divergent RNA virus in two human-infecting P. knowlesi isolates, contributing to our understanding of the viral landscape associated with this pathogen.
📈 Results
The study successfully identified a novel RNA virus related to the unclassified group of ormycoviruses. Additionally, the characterization of 15 other ormycoviruses revealed a complex ecological relationship at the arthropod-mammal interface. This research highlights the diverse and unclassified viral taxa that may influence the pathobiology of Plasmodium and its treatment outcomes.
🌍 Impact and Implications
The identification of an RNA virus in a zoonotic Plasmodium species opens new avenues for research into malaria control. Understanding the interactions between viruses and protozoan parasites could lead to innovative strategies that enhance treatment efficacy and improve patient outcomes. This study emphasizes the importance of integrating small-scale experimental data with large-scale virus discovery efforts to combat malaria effectively.
🔮 Conclusion
This groundbreaking study sheds light on the complex virome associated with Plasmodium knowlesi and underscores the potential of using advanced technologies to explore the viral landscape of disease-causing Apicomplexa. As we continue to uncover the intricacies of these interactions, we pave the way for more effective malaria control strategies. The future of malaria research is promising, and further exploration is essential!
💬 Your comments
What are your thoughts on this exciting discovery regarding the RNA virus associated with Plasmodium knowlesi? We invite you to share your insights and engage in a discussion! 💬 Please leave your comments below or connect with us on social media:
A virus associated with the zoonotic pathogen Plasmodium knowlesi causing human malaria is a member of a diverse and unclassified viral taxon.
Abstract
Apicomplexa are single-celled eukaryotes that can infect humans and include the mosquito-borne parasite Plasmodium , the cause of malaria. Increasing rates of drug resistance in human-only Plasmodium species are reducing the efficacy of control efforts and antimalarial treatments. There are also rising cases of P. knowlesi , the only zoonotic Plasmodium species that causes severe disease and death in humans. Thus, there is a need to develop additional innovative strategies to combat malaria. Viruses that infect non- Plasmodium spp. disease-causing protozoa have been shown to affect pathogen life cycle and disease outcomes. However, only one virus (Matryoshka RNA virus 1) has been identified in Plasmodium , and none have been identified in zoonotic Plasmodium species. The rapid expansion of the known RNA virosphere using structure- and artificial intelligence-based methods suggests that this dearth is due to the divergent nature of RNA viruses that infect protozoa. We leveraged these newly uncovered data sets to explore the virome of human-infecting Plasmodium species collected in Sabah, east (Borneo) Malaysia. We identified a highly divergent RNA virus in two human-infecting P. knowlesi isolates that is related to the unclassified group ‘ormycoviruses’. By characterising fifteen additional ormycoviruses identified in the transcriptomes of arthropods we show that this group of viruses exhibits a complex ecology at the arthropod-mammal interface. Through the application of artificial intelligence methods, we then demonstrate that the ormycoviruses are part of a diverse and unclassified viral taxon. This is the first observation of an RNA virus in a zoonotic Plasmodium species. By linking small-scale experimental data to large-scale virus discovery advances, we characterise the diversity and genomic architecture of an unclassified viral taxon. This approach should be used to further explore the virome of disease-causing Apicomplexa and better understand how protozoa-infecting viruses may affect parasite fitness, pathobiology, and treatment outcomes.
Author: [‘Petrone ME’, ‘Charon J’, ‘Grigg MJ’, ‘William T’, ‘Rajahram GS’, ‘Westaway J’, ‘Piera KA’, ‘Shi M’, ‘Anstey NM’, ‘Holmes EC’]
Journal: bioRxiv
Citation: Petrone ME, et al. A virus associated with the zoonotic pathogen Plasmodium knowlesi causing human malaria is a member of a diverse and unclassified viral taxon. A virus associated with the zoonotic pathogen Plasmodium knowlesi causing human malaria is a member of a diverse and unclassified viral taxon. 2024; (unknown volume):(unknown pages). doi: 10.1101/2024.09.18.613759