As a next-generation vaccine technology, mRNA vaccines mark a transformative advancement in vaccinology research. Their key strengths lie in rapid development cycles, high-efficiency manufacturing processes, robust immunogenic properties, and adaptable design frameworks. For infectious disease prevention, mRNA-based immunizations targeting SARS-CoV-2, such as the mRNA-1273 vaccine, have shown promising results in clinical evaluations. Validated efficacy metrics and safety profiles have supported their regulatory approval for public use. Additionally, mRNA platforms have shown substantial therapeutic potential against respiratory syncytial virus. However, this technology still faces multiple challenges, including poor stability, limited delivery efficiency, high production costs, unclear mechanisms of adverse reactions. Distinct from existing literature that primarily focuses on COVID-19 or specific delivery technologies, this review provides a comprehensive, integrated framework covering molecular design, delivery systems, and clinical translation across multiple viral pathogens, while also critically analyzing current controversies and future directions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive reference for researchers and clinicians in related fields.

The global emergence of Jingmen group viruses (JMVs), including Jingmen tick virus (JMTV), Alongshan virus (ALSV), and Yanggou tick virus (YGTV), has significantly broadened our perspective on the potential public health risks posed by segmented flaviviruses. However, the global evolutionary and genetic epidemiology of JMVs remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the spatial correlation, recombination, and phylogeography of JMVs. Our phylogenetic analysis identified three latitudinal lineages: (1) a mid-high-latitude group with YGTV and ALSV, prevalent in Europe and Asia; (2) a mid-latitude group with JMTV in Romania, Turkey, Kosovo, Trinidad, and Tobago; and (3) a mid-low-latitude group with JMTV and the Sichuan tick virus in Brazil, Japan, China, Kenya, and Uganda. The strong correlation between genetic distance and latitude also supports a latitude-dependent evolutionary pattern. Notably, concordance between the phylogenies of dominant tick species and JMVs underscores the pivotal role of tick species in the evolution of JMVs. Furthermore, the detection of frequent intra-lineage recombination and global migration events underscores the ecological pressures and tick-mediated evolutionary mechanisms that propel the global dissemination of emerging segmented flaviviruses. Additionally, the complex interplay of JMV recombination and migration events of JMVs identified here, particularly the recombination between JMTV and ALSV from disparate regions and viral migration across different regions and continents, complicates their evolutionary interrelationships and heightens potential health risks. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into ecological factors and tick species-mediated evolution and transmission that shape the global spread of emerging segmented flaviviruses.

The transmission of tick-borne viruses is associated with the biological functions of tick tissues. This study investigated the viromes in salivary glands, ovaries, and midguts collected from nine tick species of six genera and identified 49 viruses from at least 14 families. A variety of viral abundance and diversity across the three tissues was demonstrated. Ovaries of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus), Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor, and Hyalomma exhibited high viral abundance, suggesting their vertical transmission advantages, while high viral abundance observed in the salivary glands of Haemaphysalis and Ixodes indicated their advantage for horizontal transmission. Midguts of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus), Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, and Ixodes exhibited high viral diversity, as did the salivary glands of Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma. Viruses found across the three tissues (tissue-common viruses) exhibited varied abundance (confirmed by qPCR), possessing a broad tissue spectrum but reflecting different tissue preferences. Viruses presenting high abundance identified in a single tissue (tissue-specific viruses) may be indicative of limited dissemination to other tissues. Furthermore, the correlation between viral abundance and tissues indicated distinct preliminary dissemination patterns of viruses across the examined tick genera. This study demonstrated the heterogeneity of viromes in tick tissues, revealed diverse viral preferences for tissues, and suggested the transmission advantages linked to specific tick genera. The findings provide novel insight into the differential competence of virus transmission in ticks, which raised the necessity of investigation and will benefit further research into the heterogeneous landscape of viromes within tick bodies and the mechanisms for maintaining and transmitting a particular virus in specific tick species. IMPORTANCE:Tick tissues (salivary glands, ovaries, and midguts) are critical for the development of ticks and virus transmission. This study analyzed viromes in these tissues across six tick genera, thereby revealing the viral heterogeneity in tick tissues and suggesting differential transmission advantages among the examined genera. The results provide a novel insight into the understanding of the competence for virus transmission by ticks, based on viral populations, and into the mechanisms underlying virus dissemination within tick bodies, as well as those of vertical or horizontal transmission of viruses linked to the biological functions of tick tissues. The findings also suggest the importance of a more in-depth investigation into viral transmission, with a particular focus on the viromes of tick eggs, saliva, and hemolymph. All these would serve as a crucial foundational framework, establishing a robust foundation for the future development of strategies aimed at the control of viral transmission by ticks.

Despite the recognized benefits of diverse vegetation for terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem services, its role in island ecosystem restoration remains poorly understood. We established five artificial vegetation types (grassland, windbreak and sand fixation, shelterbelt, public green space, roadside trees) on tropical coralislands and compared their soil properties and microbial communities with those of native forests. Artificial vegetation showed different levels of soil properties (except total potassium), microbial biomass (excluding fungi), enzyme activities, diversity indices (excluding fungi). Additionally, the community composition and network structure of soil microbes in artificial vegetation were distinct from those in native forests. Both ecosystems exhibited co-limitation by carbon and phosphorus. Fungi dominated in early restoration stages, while bacteria emerged as keystone drivers in later phases. Initial fungal inoculation accelerated vegetation establishment, and late-stage labile carbon inputs enhanced bacterial-mediated ecosystem stability. Phosphorus supplementation is recommended to alleviate nutrient co-limitation given that phosphorus is indispensable for microbial growth. Future research should focus on long-term dynamics to better assess restoration sustainability.

Ticks transmit diverse viral pathogens to hosts during blood-feeding via saliva secretion. This study characterized viral compositions in salivary glands and saliva from adults of four tick species (Ixodes persulcatus, Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis longicornis, and Haemaphysalis concinna) collected in China. Meta-transcriptomic analysis revealed distinct viromes across species, with Flaviviridae dominant in R. microplus, Nairoviridae in H. concinna and I. persulcatus, and Phenuiviridae in H. longicornis and I. persulcatus. Among 27 viruses detected in salivary glands, 14 were identified in saliva, indicating horizontal transmission potential. Viruses with higher abundance (transcripts per thousand bases per million, TPM) in salivary glands were more likely to be secreted in saliva. Genomic sequences of eight viruses, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Jingmen tick virus (JMTV), Songling virus (SGLV), Wetland virus (WELV), Beiji nairovirus (BJNV), Mukawa virus (MKWV), and Wuhan tick virus 2 (WHTV2), which are associated with human diseases or possess spillover potentials, were fully assembled from salivary glands and confirmed in saliva. Notably, SFTSV in H. longicornis; MKWV, Sichuan tick hepe-like virus, and Jilin luteo-like virus 2 in I. persulcatus; and JMTV in R. microplus showed significantly increased abundance in saliva, indicating an enhanced secretion of these viruses into saliva. Conversely, TBEV, BJNV, and Sara tick phlebovirus in I. persulcatus, SGLV and WELV in H. concinna, and WHTV2 in R. microplus exhibited reduced salivary abundance despite glandular presence. These findings demonstrate differential secretion capabilities of tick-borne viruses (TBVs) from glands to saliva, advancing understanding of horizontal transmission risks for pathogens affecting human health.

The 21st century awaits further development in biomedical research and technology to address the challenges in climate change,food and agriculture innovation,supply chain resilience and human health in the coming decades.Such bold goals should largely be made possible due to the developments in artificial intelligence(AI)that have been made in the past decade or so,namely the fourth wave of science and technology(S&T)revo-lution or the third wave of AI as we are currently experiencing.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Human adenovirus (HAdV) infections are estimated to account for at least 5% of pediatric ARTIs. The circulated genotypes of HAdV and the correlation between genotype and clinical manifestations in Wuhan, China, before and after the complete relaxation of nonpharmaceutical interventions against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, remain unknown. Here, 101 HAdV strains were isolated from throat swab samples collected from hospitalized children with ARTIs who tested positive for HAdV nucleic acid. Of these, sixty-six strains from 2022 to twenty-three strains from 2023 were successfully genotyped and subjected to phylogenetic analysis based on the hexon, penton base, and fiber genes. Six genotypes, B3, C1, C2, C5, C104, and C108 were identified. HAdV-B3 (84.85%) was the most prevalent type in 2022, while HAdV-C (86.96%), including C1, C2, C108, and C104, was the most prevalent in 2023. These strains were phylogenetically related to strains from Japan, China, and the United States in recent years. When comparing clinical characteristics, pediatric patients infected with B3, C1, C2, C5, C104, or C108 exhibited similar clinical manifestations, primarily fever and cough, but varying interleukin (IL)-10 levels. In conclusion, from June 2022 to September 2023, the circulated genotypes of HAdV in Wuhan included B3, C1, C2, C108, C5, and C104. The endemic pattern of HAdV in Wuhan, China, shifted from species B as the dominant type in 2022 to species C in 2023.

Permafrost serves as a natural cold reservoir for viral communities. However, little is known about the viromes in deep permafrost soil, as most studies of permafrost were restricted to shallow areas. Here, permafrost soil samples of up to 100 m in depth were collected from two sites in the Tuotuo River permafrost area on the Tibetan Plateau. We investigated the viral composition in these permafrost soil samples and analyzed the relationship of viral composition and diversity along with depths. Our study revealed that greater permafrost thickness corresponds to higher diversity within the viral community. Bacteriophages were found to be the dominant viral communities, with "kill the winner" dynamics observed within the Siphoviridae and Myoviridae. The abundance and diversity of viral communities may follow a potential pattern along soil layers and depths, influenced by pH, trace elements, and permafrost thickness. Notably, strong correlations were discovered between the content of inorganic elements, including B, Mg, Cr, Bi, Ti, Na, Ni, and Cu, and the viral composition. Moreover, we discovered highly conserved sequences of giant viruses at depth of 10, 20, and 50 m in permafrost, which play a crucial role in evolutionary processes. These findings provide valuable insights into the viral community patterns from shallow to 100 -m -depth in high -elevation permafrost, offering crucial data support for the formulation of strategies for permafrost thaw caused by climate change and anthropogenic activities.

Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks, commonly found in East Asia, can transmit various pathogenic viruses, including the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) that has caused febrile diseases among humans in Hubei Province. However, understanding of the viromes of H. longicornis was limited, and the prevalence of viruses among H. longicornis ticks in Hubei was not well clari fied. This study investigates the viromes of both engorged (fed) and free (unfed) H. longicornis ticks across three mountainous regions in Hubei Province from 2019 to 2020. RNA -sequencing analysis identi fied viral sequences that were related to 39 reference viruses belonging to unclassi fied viruses and seven RNA viral families, namely Chuviridae , Nairoviridae , Orthomyxoviridae , Parvoviridae , Phenuiviridae , Rhabdoviridae , and Totiviridae. Viral abundance and diversity in these ticks were analysed, and phylogenetic characteristics of the Henan tick virus (HNTV), Dabieshan tick virus (DBSTV), Okutama tick virus (OKTV), and Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) were elucidated based on their full genomic sequences. Prevalence analysis demonstrated that DBSTV was the most common virus found in individual H. longicornis ticks (12.59%), followed by HNTV (0.35%), whereas JMTV and OKTV were not detected. These results improve our understanding of H. longicornis tick viromes in central China and highlight the role of tick feeding status and geography in shaping the viral community. The findings of new viral strains and their potential impact on public health raise the need to strengthen surveillance efforts for comprehensively assessing their spillover potentials.

Ticks are crucial vectors for various pathogens associated with human and animal diseases, including viruses. Nevertheless, significant knowledge gaps prevail in our understanding of tick-borne viruses (TBVs). We here examined existing studies on TBVs, uncovering 870 documented virus species across 28 orders, 55 families, and 66 genera. The discovery history, vector ticks, and hosts of TBVs, as well as the clinical characteristics of TBV-induced diseases, are summarized. In total, 176 tick species from nine tick genera were confirmed as vectors for TBVs. Overall, 105 TBVs were associated with infection or exposure to humans and animals. Of them, at least 40 were identified to cause human or animal diseases. This review addresses the current challenges associated with TBV research, including the lack of knowledge about the identification of novel and emerging TBVs, the spillover potentials from ticks to hosts, and the pathogenicity and infection mechanisms of TBVs. It is expected to provide crucial insights and references for future studies in this field, while specifically focusing on expanding surveys, improving TBV identification and isolation, and enhancing the understanding of TBV–vector–host interactions. All of these findings will facilitate the preparation for preventing and treating diseases caused by emerging and novel TBVs.

Ticks are a major parasite on the Qīnghăi-Tibet Plateau, western China, and represent an economic burden to agriculture and animal husbandry. Despite research on tick-borne pathogens that threaten humans and animals, the viromes of dominant tick species in this area remain unknown. In this study, we collected Dermacentor nuttalli ticks near Qīnghăi Lake and identified 13 viruses belonging to at least six families through metagenomic sequencing. Four viruses were of high abundance in pools, including Xīnjiāng tick-associated virus 1 (XJTAV1), and three novel viruses: Qīnghăi Lake virus 1, Qīnghăi Lake virus 2 (QHLV1, and QHLV2, unclassified), and Qīnghăi Lake virus 3 (QHLV3, genus Uukuvirus of family Phenuiviridae in order Bunyavirales), which lacks the M segment. The minimum infection rates of the four viruses in the tick groups were 8.2%, 49.5%, 6.2%, and 24.7%, respectively, suggesting the prevalence of these viruses in D. ​nuttalli ticks. A putative M segment of QHLV3 was identified from the next-generation sequencing data and further characterized for its signal peptide cleavage site, N-glycosylation, and transmembrane region. Furthermore, we probed the L, M, and S segments of other viruses from sequencing data of other tick pools by ​using the putative M segment sequence of QHLV3. By revealing the viromes of D. nuttalli ticks, this study enhances our understanding of tick-borne viral communities in highland regions. The putative M segment identified in a novel uukuvirus suggests that previously identified uukuviruses without M segments should have had the same genome organization as typical bunyaviruses. These findings will facilitate virus discovery and our understanding of the phylogeny of tick-borne uukuviruses.

Background: The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L., Lepidoptera: Erebidae) is a worldwide pest of trees and forests. Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV) belongs to the Baculoviridae family and is an insect virus specific to gypsy moth larvae. In this study, we describe the complete genome sequences of three geographically diverse isolates, H2 (China), J2 (Japan), and T3 (Turkey), of Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV). Methods: The genomes of isolates H2, J2, and T3 were subjected to shotgun pyrosequencing using Roche 454 FLX and assembled using Roche GS De Novo Assembler. Comparative analysis of all isolates was performed using bioinformatics methods. Results: The genomes of LdMNPV-H2, J2, and T3 were 164,746, 162,249, and 162,614 bp in size, had GC content of 57.25%, 57.30%, and 57.46%, and contained 162, 165, and 164 putative open reading frames (ORFs ≥ 150 nt), respectively. Comparison between the reference genome LdMNPV-5/6 (AF081810) and the genomes of LdMNPV-H2, J2, and T3 revealed differences in gene content. Compared with LdMNPV-5/6, ORF5, 6, 8, 10, 31, and 67 were absent in LdMNPVH2, ORF5, 13, and 66 were absent in LdMNPV-J2, and ORF10, 13, 31, and 67 were absent in LdMNPV-T3. In addition, the gene encoding the mucin-like protein (ORF4) was split into two parts in isolates H2 and T3 and designated ORF4a and ORF4b. Phylogenetic analysis grouped isolates H2 and J2 in a different cluster than isolate T3, which is more closely related to the Turkish and Polish isolates. In addition, H2 was found to be closely related to a South Korean LdMNPV isolate. Conclusion: This study provided a more detailed overview of the relationships between different geographic LdMNPV isolates. The results showed remarkable differences between groups at the genome level.

Human herpes simplex virus (HSV), a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Herpesviridae family and alpha herpesvirus subfamily, is one of the most epidemic pathogens in the population. Cell-to-cell spread is a special intercellular transmission mechanism of HSV that indicates the virulence of this virus. Through numerous studies on mutant HSV strains, many viral and host proteins involved in this process have been identified; however, the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the effect of the membrane protein genes US7 and UL56 on cell-to-cell spread in vitro between two HSV-1 (HB94 and HN19) strains using a plaque assay, syncytium formation assay, and the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. US7 knockout resulted in the inhibition of viral cell-to-cell spread; additionally, glycoprotein I (US7) of the HB94 strain was found to promote cell-to-cell spread compared to that of the HN19 strain. UL56 knockout did not affect plaque size and syncytium formation; however, the gene product of UL56 from the HN19 strain inhibited plaque formation and membrane infusion. This study presents preliminary evidence of the functions of US7 and UL56 in the cell-to-cell spread of HSV-1, which will provide important clues to reveal the mechanisms of cell-to-cell spread, and contributes to the clinical drugs development.

从自然死亡的雀纹天蛾幼虫分离到一株雀纹天蛾核型多角体病毒.通过扫描及切片透射电镜发现,该病毒为单粒包埋型核型多角体病毒,命名为ThjaSNPV(Theretra japonica single nucleopolyhedrovirus).病毒全基因组重测序后拼接显示,该病毒基因组全长134 899 bp,GC含量37.28％,与豆天蛾单粒包埋型核型多角体病毒株DZ1基因组序列相似性高达96.24％.ThjaSNPV含有131个开放阅读框(ORF)其中55个为正链基因,76个为负链基因,与宿主同为天蛾科的豆天蛾单粒包埋型核型多角体基因组相比,雀纹天蛾单粒包埋型核型多角体病毒新注释到7个基因:chitin-binding protein(ORF9),ODV-E18(ORF11),-lef-11(ORF27),hypothetical protein(ORF41),lef-10(ORF42),pif-6(ORF66),P6.9(ORF88).ThjaSNPV 的 DNA 光裂酶基因(DNA photolyase,ORF53)中不具有豆天蛾NPV中的1 bp碱基的缺失,只编码一个大的完整DNA裂合酶.38个串联的核心基因的进化分析显示雀纹天蛾NPV与Alphabaculovirus group Ⅱ类群聚类在一起,且和豆天蛾NPV最为相似.

草原毛虫(Gynaephora ruergensis Chou et yin)是我国高原牧草中的一种有害害虫.草原毛虫核型多角体病毒新分离株(EupsNPV-Gr)具有典型的杆状病毒特征,呈单粒包埋型病毒粒子,ODV颗粒呈不规则的多边形,直径为1.0μm～1.35μm.EupsNPV-Gr能有效杀灭草原毛虫幼虫,它对草原毛虫的半致死浓度LC50为4×104 PIB/mL,是一种理想的生物防治剂.本研究对第一个EupsNPV-Gr基因组进行了测序和鉴定.EupsNPV-Gr基因组全长140684bp,包含134个开放阅读框.它与茶毛虫核型多角体病毒(EupsNPV)关系最为密切,序列同源性高达99％.系统进化分析表明,EupsNPV-Gr属于杆状病毒科alpha杆状病毒属,根据公认的种属划分标准,EupsNPV-Gr是EupsNPV的一个株系.新报道的基因组为研究该物种毒力的分子机制提供了基础.

Tick-borne viruses (TBVs) capable of transmitting between ticks and hosts have been increasingly recognized as a global public health concern. In this study, Hyalomma ticks and serum samples from camels were collected using recorded sampling correlations in eastern Kenya. Viromes of pooled ticks were profiled by metagenomic sequencing, revealing a diverse community of viruses related to at least 11 families. Five highly abundant viruses, including three novel viruses (Iftin tick virus, Mbalambala tick virus [MATV], and Bangali torovirus [BanToV]) and new strains of previously identified viruses (Bole tick virus 4 [BLTV4] and Liman tick virus [LMTV]), were characterized in terms of genome sequences, organizations, and phylogeny, and their molecular prevalence was investigated in individual ticks. Moreover, viremia and antibody responses to these viruses have been investigated in camels. MATV, BLTV4, LMTV, and BanToV were identified as viral pathogens that can potentially cause zoonotic diseases. The transmission patterns of these viruses were summarized, suggesting three different types according to the sampling relationships between viral RNA-positive ticks and camels positive for viral RNA and/or antibodies. They also revealed the frequent transmission of BanToV and limited but effective transmission of other viruses between ticks and camels. Furthermore, follow-up surveys on TBVs from tick, animal, and human samples with definite sampling relationships are suggested. The findings revealed substantial threats from the emerging TBVs and may guide the prevention and control of TBV-related zoonotic diseases in Kenya and in other African countries.

>Dear Editor,Pathogenic microorganisms carrying antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs) pose serious challenge to human health worldwide. The major reservoir of ARGs is believed to be the environment(Cao et al., 2020). Some ARGs can be transmitted from the environment into pathogens via horizontal gene transfer(Forsberg et al., 2012).Permafrost covers >25% of the Earth's land area.

3* 1 (中国科学院退化生态系统植被恢复与管理重点实验室/中国科学院海岛与海岸带生态修复工程实验室, 中国科学院华南植物园, 广州 510650) 2 (华南农业大学林学与风景园林学院, 广州 510642) 3 (南方海洋科学与工程广东实验室(广州), 广州 511458) 4 (中国科学院大学, 北京 100049) 摘要: 有害植物孪花蟛蜞菊(Wedelia biflora)的扩张对我国西沙群岛原生植物群落结构和功能产生了深刻影响,

The emerging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to social and economic disruption globally. It is urgently needed to understand the structure and function of the viral proteins for understanding of the viral infection and pathogenesis and development of prophylaxis and treatment strategies. Coronavirus non-structural protein 1 (nsp1) is a notable virulence factor with versatile roles in virus-host interactions and exhibits unique characteristics on sequence, structure, and function mode. However, the roles and characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 are currently unclear. Here, we analyze the nsp1 of SARS-CoV-2 from the following perspectives: (1) bioinformatics analysis reveals that the novel nsp1 is conserved among SARS-CoV-2 strains and shares significant sequence identity with SARS-CoV nsp1; (2) structure modeling shows a 3D α/β-fold of SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 highly similar to that of the SARS-CoV homolog; (3) by detailed, functional review of nsp1 proteins from other coronaviruses (especially SARS-CoV) and comparison of the protein sequence and structure, we further analyzed the potential roles of SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 in manipulating host mRNA translation, antiviral innate immunity and inflammation response and thus likely promoting viral infection and pathogenesis, which are merited to be tested in the future. Finally, we discussed how understanding of the novel nsp1 may provide valuable insights into the designs of drugs and vaccines against the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic.