[Seapv] Fwd: [RIEC] RV: Call for a PhD candidate - INVITATION TO JOIN A RESEARCH PROJECT

[Lluís Luján]

FYI

-------- Missatge Original --------
Assumpte: [RIEC] RV: Call for a PhD candidate - INVITATION TO JOIN A 
RESEARCH PROJECT
Data: 2020-04-09 13:11
Remitent: Christian Gortázar Schmidt <Christian.Gortazar en UCLM.ES>
Destinatari: RIEC en LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES
Respon a: Investigación sobre sanidad de fauna silvestre y enfermedades 
compartidas <RIEC en LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES>

De: CIBIO-InBIO Divulgação <divulgacao en cibio.up.pt>
Enviado el: jueves, 9 de abril de 2020 13:03
Para: CIBIO-InBIO Divulgação <divulgacao en cibio.up.pt>
Asunto: Call for a PhD candidate - INVITATION TO JOIN A RESEARCH PROJECT

Dear Colleagues,

Please find below the advert for a PhD student position in the field of 
virology and co-evolution at CIBIO-InBIO and University of Arizona.

All the best,

CIBIO-InBIO – Gabinete de Comunicação e Divulgação Científica

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INVITATION TO JOIN A RESEARCH PROJECT
Call for a PhD candidate

We are looking for a highly motivated graduate student, who is 
interested in pursuing a PhD degree in the field of virology and 
co-evolution, studying myxoma virus infection in leporids. This work is 
in a scope of an ongoing collaboration between CIBIO-InBIO and 
University of Arizona (LMU), United States of America, to study myxoma 
virus infection. The project involves molecular biology techniques and 
computational analyses.

The student will interact with an international team of scientists at 
CIBIO-InBIO in the Vairão Campus, Portugal, and the University of 
Arizona, USA, under the supervision of 
Pedro<https://cibio.up.pt/people/details/clpinho> Esteves (CIBIO-InBIO) 
and Grant McFadden 
<https://www.cefe.cnrs.fr/en/research/evolutionary-ecology/genetique-et-ecologie-evolutive-3/800-french/recherche/ee/gee/c/195-pierre-andre-crochet> 
(University of Arizona).

The application should include the following information:
·         Motivation letter with a short biography and research 
interests;
·         Curriculum vitae summarizing education, experience, other 
qualifying activity and a list of publications;
·         Copy of master degree and course grades;
·         Names and contact information of two referees.

The application must be written in English and sent by e-mail to 
pjesteves en cibio.up.pt<mailto: pjesteves en cibio.up.pt> until April 18, 
2019.

Brief Project Description
Myxoma virus (MYXV) is naturally found in American leporid species 
(Sylvilagus brasiliensis and S. bachmani), where it causes only a benign 
cutaneous fibroma. However, in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus 
cuniculus) it causes myxomatosis, a lethal disseminated disease. The 
co-evolution between European rabbit populations and MYXV is a textbook 
example. In 2019, we described for the first time a MYXV (MYXV-Tol) that 
was able to cross the barrier species and cause myxomatosis in a Lepus 
species. In this proposal, we aim to investigate the biological 
underpinnings behind this recent cross-species leap of MYXV-Tol from 
rabbits to hares. This poxvirus model system will use in vitro 
approaches to determine the mechanisms that MYXV-Tol play in evading the 
host immune system and induce a systemic infection, as well as evaluate 
the co-evolution between MYXV-Tol and the Iberian hare populations in 
real time. Further, this study will provide valuable information for 
more broadly understanding zoonotic viral spillover of other poxviruses, 
such as the host species jump of monkeypox virus or tanapox virus into 
humans.

Summary
Uncovering the mechanisms enabling the cross-species jumps of viruses is 
a critical need. Myxoma virus (MYXV) is found naturally in Sylvilagus 
species, and, until recently, it was only known to cause the lethal 
disease myxomatosis in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In 
2018, Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) from the Toledo province of 
Spain were found dead with lesions consistent with those observed in 
myxomatosis, suggesting a cross-species jump of MYXV. To investigate the 
possibility of a new MYXV cross-species transmission, samples collected 
from deceased symptomatic Iberian hares were analyzed. From these, we 
isolated and sequenced a new MYXV variant which we refer to as MYXV 
Toledo (MYXV-Tol). The MYXV-Tol genome includes three newly disrupted 
genes (M009L, M152R and M036L) and a novel four gene “cassette” 
insertion of ~ 2,800 bp within the M009L gene. This insertion was 
clearly derived from another poxvirus but from an undescribed source 
that in terms of gene order resembles members from the ungulate poxvirus 
family. Interestingly, the novel recombinant insert includes an 
orthologue of a poxvirus host range gene, which is homologous to the 
MYXV M064R C7L-host range factor. Therefore, we hypothesized that this 
newly acquired viral protein has enabled MYXV to alter its host range 
from rabbits to hares and enabled the myxomatosis-like pathogenesis in 
hares. To study the importance of this protein in infection, we 
generated recombinant viruses including a ΔM064Tol (knockout) virus 
(vMyxTol-ΔM064Tol-GFP-tdT). When the hare cell line HN-R was infected 
with this vMyxTol-ΔM064Tol-GFP-tdT or wild-type MYXV-Lau, they were both 
unable to detectably infect or replicate within HN-R hare cells, while 
MYXV-Tol virus showed productive infection and replication in both 
rabbit and hare cells. This result shows that M064Tol is the key 
obligatory protein allowing MYXV-Tol replication in hare cells by 
acquiring new host range functions. In this application, we propose to 
investigate the biological actions of M064Tol host range protein that 
allowed cross-species jump of MYXV-Tol from rabbits to hares, as well as 
study the evolution of this virus in the Iberian hare populations in 
real time.