Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection
Abstract The C. elegans-Orsay virus pathosystem provides a powerful model for investigating the mechanisms that govern viral infection and immunity. Here, we focus on two key aspects of this interaction: the impact of lifelong latent infections and the dynamics of superinfection. By tracking the cou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62522-2 |
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| author | Victoria G. Castiglioni Ana Villena-Giménez Dominik Herek Antonio González-Sánchez Christina Toft Gustavo G. Gómez Santiago F. Elena |
| author_facet | Victoria G. Castiglioni Ana Villena-Giménez Dominik Herek Antonio González-Sánchez Christina Toft Gustavo G. Gómez Santiago F. Elena |
| author_sort | Victoria G. Castiglioni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The C. elegans-Orsay virus pathosystem provides a powerful model for investigating the mechanisms that govern viral infection and immunity. Here, we focus on two key aspects of this interaction: the impact of lifelong latent infections and the dynamics of superinfection. By tracking the course of a lifelong infection, we demonstrate that the infection remains latent, with animals maintaining control over viral replication for most of their lifespan. Furthermore, we show that animals previously exposed to the virus can suppress viral replication following a second inoculation, indicative of an acquired immune response. Primary infections led to changes in transcriptomic and small RNA profiles, which varied depending on the developmental stage of the host and the timing of analysis. In contrast, superinfection disrupted multiple sRNA classes. Over time, the ability to control repeated viral reactivations declined, whereas resistance to superinfection was stable, ultimately favoring the primary infecting virus. This phenomenon was dependent on a functional RNA interference pathway. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-05c4f7e4bedc4b73b3830649b61cfad0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-05c4f7e4bedc4b73b3830649b61cfad02025-08-20T03:43:10ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-62522-2Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protectionVictoria G. Castiglioni0Ana Villena-Giménez1Dominik Herek2Antonio González-Sánchez3Christina Toft4Gustavo G. Gómez5Santiago F. Elena6Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaInstitute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaInstitute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaInstitute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaInstitute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaInstitute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaInstitute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de ValènciaAbstract The C. elegans-Orsay virus pathosystem provides a powerful model for investigating the mechanisms that govern viral infection and immunity. Here, we focus on two key aspects of this interaction: the impact of lifelong latent infections and the dynamics of superinfection. By tracking the course of a lifelong infection, we demonstrate that the infection remains latent, with animals maintaining control over viral replication for most of their lifespan. Furthermore, we show that animals previously exposed to the virus can suppress viral replication following a second inoculation, indicative of an acquired immune response. Primary infections led to changes in transcriptomic and small RNA profiles, which varied depending on the developmental stage of the host and the timing of analysis. In contrast, superinfection disrupted multiple sRNA classes. Over time, the ability to control repeated viral reactivations declined, whereas resistance to superinfection was stable, ultimately favoring the primary infecting virus. This phenomenon was dependent on a functional RNA interference pathway.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62522-2 |
| spellingShingle | Victoria G. Castiglioni Ana Villena-Giménez Dominik Herek Antonio González-Sánchez Christina Toft Gustavo G. Gómez Santiago F. Elena Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection Nature Communications |
| title | Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection |
| title_full | Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection |
| title_fullStr | Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection |
| title_short | Latent infection of Caenorhabditis elegans by Orsay virus induces age-dependent immunity and cross-protection |
| title_sort | latent infection of caenorhabditis elegans by orsay virus induces age dependent immunity and cross protection |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62522-2 |
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