• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.545-552
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• 2008

A hepadnaviruses replicates its DNA genome via reverse transcription of an RNA template (pregenomic RNA or pgRNA), which has a cap structure at the 5' end and a poly(A) tail at the 3' end. We have previously shown that the 5' cap is indispensable for encapsidation of the pgRNA. A speculative extension of the above finding is that the cap contributes to encapsidation via its interaction with the poly(A) tail, possibly involving eIF4E-eIF4G-PABP interaction. To test this hypothesis, poly(A)-less pgRNAs were generated via cleavage by a cis-acting hepatitis delta virus ribozyme sequence. We found that accumulation of the poly(A)-less pgRNA was markedly diminished, mostly likely due to its reduced stability. Importantly, however, the remaining poly(A)-less pgRNAs were nonetheless encapsidated and reverse transcribed normally when the reduced stability was taken account. Our finding clearly contradicts the notion that the poly(A) tail has any function in encapsidation and viral reverse transcription.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.120-127
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• 2021

Plant viruses cause significant yield losses, continuously compromising crop production and thus representing a serious threat to global food security. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is the most harmful plant virus that mainly infects horticultural crops and has a wide host range. Reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) has been widely used for detecting TSWV with high sensitivity, but its application is limited owing to the lack of standardization. Therefore, in this study, a sensitive and accurate reverse transcription droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (RT-ddPCR) method was established for TSWV detection. Additionally, we compared the sensitivities of RT-qPCR and RT-ddPCR for TSWV detection. Specificity analysis of RT-ddPCR for TSWV showed no amplification for main pepper viruses and negative control. TSWV transcripts levels measured by RT-ddPCR and RT-qPCR showed a high degree of linearity; however, the former yielded results that were at least 10-fold more sensitive and detected lower TSWV copy numbers than the latter. Collectively, our findings show that RT-ddPCR provides improved analytical sensitivity and specificity for TSWV detection, making it suitable for identifying low TSWV concentrations in field samples.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.497-502
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• 2020

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) is an economically important plant pathogen that causes stunted growth, delayed heading, leaf yellowing, and purple leaf tip, thereby reducing the yields of cereal crops worldwide. In the present study, a reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) assay was developed for the detection of BYDV in oat leaf samples. The RT-RPA assay involved incubation at an isothermal temperature (42℃) and could be performed rapidly in 5 min. In addition, no cross-reactivity was observed to occur with other cereal-infecting viruses, and the method was 100 times more sensitive than conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the assay was validated for the detection of BYDV in both field-collected oat leaves and viruliferous aphids. Thus, the RT-RPA assay developed in the present study represents a simple, rapid, sensitive, and reliable method for detecting BYDV in oats.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2021

The aim of the present study was to develop a sensitive and specific detection method for the rapid detection of apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) in apple leaves. The resulting reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) assay can be completed in 10 min at 42℃, is 10 times more sensitive than conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and can specifically amplify ASSVd without any cross-reactivity with other common apple viruses, including apple stem grooving virus, apple stem pitting virus, and apple chlorotic leaf spot virus. The reliability of the RT-RPA assay was assessed, and the findings suggested that it can be successfully utilized to detect ASSVd in field-collected samples. The RT-RPA assay developed in the present study provides a potentially valuable means for improving the detection of ASSVd in viroid-free certification programs, especially in resource-limited conditions.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2022

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) has been a major viral pathogen causing significant losses of cereal crops including oats worldwide. It spreads naturally through aphids, and a rapid, specific, and reliable diagnostic method is imperative for disease monitoring and management. Here, we established a rapid and reliable method for isothermal reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) combined with a lateral flow strips (LFS) assay for the detection of BYDV-infected oat samples based on the conserved sequences of the BYDV coat protein gene. Specific primers and a probe for RT-RPA reacted and optimally incubated at 42℃ for 10 min, and the end-labeled amplification products were visualized on LFS within 10 min. The RT-RPA-LFS assay showed no cross-reactivity with other major cereal viruses, including barley mild mosaic virus, barley yellow mosaic virus, and rice black streaked dwarf virus, indicating high specificity of the assay. The sensitivity of the RT-RPA-LFS assay was similar to that of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and it was successfully validated to detect BYDV in oat samples from six different regions and in individual aphids. These results confirm the outstanding potential of the RT-RPA-LFS assay for rapid detection of BYDV.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2011

A new reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for the Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) was developed and compared with conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to address its advantages over RTPCR. RT-LAMP primers were designed from the open reading frame 3 (ORF3) sequence of PLRV. The RT-LAMP reactions were conducted without or with a set of loop primers. By real-time monitoring using Turbimeter, the RT-LAMP (with loop primers) detects PLRV in less than 30 min, compared to 120 min of RT-PCR. By adding fluorescent reagent during the reaction, final products of the RT-LAMP were fluorescently visualized under UV light or could be differentiated by naked-eye inspection under normal light. The RT-LAMP was extremely sensitive, about 2000-fold more sensitive than RT-PCR. This study presents great potential of the RT-LAMP for diagnosis and PLRV epidemiology because RT-LAMP method is speedy, sensitive, inexpensive, and convenient.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2018

In this study, we developed a sensitive and specific reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for rapid visual detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) circulated in Korea. The RT-LAMP was completed in 40 min at $62^{\circ}C$ and the results of the assay were directly detected by naked eye without any detection process. The assay specifically amplified all 7 serotypes of FMDV RNAs but not amplified other viral and cellular nucleic acids. The sensitivity of the RT-LAMP was $10^2$, $10^3$ and $10^3TCID_{50}/mL$ for serotype O, A and Asia 1 FMDV, respectively, which was comparable to conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and relatively lower than that of real time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Clinical evaluation of the RT-LAMP using different serotypes of Korean and foreign FMDV strains showed a 100% (35/35) agreement with the results of the RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. These results indicated that RT-LAMP assay developed in this study could be a valuable diagnostic method for FMDV monitoring and surveillance.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.486-489
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• 1996

A simple, rapid, specific and sensitive method for the detection of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique without conventional RNA extraction was developed. HCV template RNA from serum was obtained by boiling the serum at $95^{\circ}C$ for 2 min, cooling rapidly in ice and removing the proteins by cetrifugation. RT-PCR amplifications including the reverse transcription and first PCR amplification were performed in one vessel containing both of reverse transcriptase and Taq DNA polymerase. The detection of HCV RNA from $10^{-3}{\mu}l$. serum was possible with this method. The suitability of this method for clinical analysis was evaluated by assaying HCV RNA in 225 patient samples including anti-HCV antibody negatives (13 samples) and positives (212 samples) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test (ELISA). Detections of HCV RNA with this method were in 4 of 13 anti-HCV antibody negative samples (30.8%) and 95 of 212 positive samples (44.8%). The present method can be completed in 1 hr and has a wide range of application for the clinical utilities to determine the viral RNAS.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2018

A one-step multiplex reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method comprising six primer sets (for the detection of norovirus GI and GII, hepatitis A virus, rotavirus, and astrovirus) was developed to simultaneously detect four kinds of pathogenic viruses. The size of the PCR products for norovirus GI and GII, hepatitis A virus (VP3/VP1 and P2A regions), rotavirus, and astrovirus were 330, 164, 244, 198, 629, and 449 bp, respectively. The RT-PCR with the six primer sets showed specificity for the pathogenic viruses. The detection limit of the developed multiplex RT-PCR, as evaluated using serially diluted viral RNAs, was comparable to that of one-step single RT-PCR. Moreover, this multiplex RT-PCR was evaluated using food samples such as water, oysters, lettuce, and vegetable product. These food samples were artificially spiked with the four kinds of viruses in diverse combinations, and the spiked viruses in all food samples were detected successfully.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1470-1474
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• 2009

This paper describes the development a of direct multiplex reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, devised for simultaneous detection and typing of influenza viruses. This method combines the direct reverse transcription reaction without RNA purification with the enhancement of sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR. The method successfully detected three major human influenza viruses: influenza virus A subtype 1 (H1N1) and subtype 3 (H3N2), and influenza B virus (B). The minimum number of virus particles (pfu/ml) necessary for detection in spiked saliva samples was 200 (H1N1), 140 (H3N2), and 4.5 (B). The method's sensitivity and simplicity will be convenient for use in clinical laboratories for the detection and subtyping of influenza and possibly other RNA viruses.