Research

Molecular virology: Involvement of nuclear domains and proteins in plant responses to virus infections
The nucleolus and Cajal bodies (CBs) are prominent sub-nuclear domains involved in a number of crucial aspects of cell function. Certain viruses interact with these compartments but the functions of such interactions are largely uncharacterised. My group has recently shown that the ability of the umbravirus ORF3 protein to move viral RNA long distances through the phloem strictly depends on its interaction with CBs, the nucleolus and the nucleolar protein, fibrillarin. The ORF3 protein targets and re-organizes CBs and then enters the nucleolus by causing fusion of these structures with the nucleolus. This process is mediated by the interaction between the ORF3 protein and a major nucleolar protein, fibrillarin. We provided a model whereby the ORF3 protein utilises trafficking pathways between CBs and the nucleolus, and recruits fibrillarin for the formation of viral cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein particles capable of long-distance movement and systemic infection. We have also shown that other viruses can interact with the nucleolus and CBs as well.

For example, our recent results demonstrate that nucleolar translocation of the CB signature protein, coilin, can mediate antiviral defence. Indeed, the nucleolar-targeted 16K protein of the plant virus, tobacco rattle virus (TRV) elicits the hypersensitive response (HR), a type of plant programmed cell death (PCD) in wild-type tobacco plants as evidenced by necrosis and other hallmarks of PCD. In the studies to elucidate the mechanism of the TRV 16K–mediated HR, my group has demonstrated that the 16K protein interacts with coilin, the major scaffolding protein of CBs and partially re-distributes it to the nucleolus. Invasion of the nucleolus by the 16K-coilin complex leads to induction of signalling pathways underpinning the PCD-based HR. The HR serves to prevent the spread of the virus from infection site thereby providing an antivirus defence mechanism. These results demonstrate novel functions for coilin as an essential component of host antiviral defence and may have implications for other plant and animal viruses that interact with the nucleolus and CBs. Our preliminary results also suggest a role of both fibrillarin and coilin in the signal transduction mechanisms in response to environmental cues.

Nanobiotechnology
In the 21st century, nanotechnology has become one of the most rapidly developing fields of science and technology. Numerous nanomaterials have been manufactured to have characteristic electrical, mechanical, magnetic, thermal, dielectric, optical and catalytic properties. In recent years, a great deal of attention has been drawn to the fabrication of biomimetic or bioinspired materials. A variety of highly organised nano-scale biological structures have evolved which have inspired researchers to design new systems for producing novel nanomaterials, and viruses are perfect examples of such materials. Plants and plant extracts have been used as bioreactors to produce metal nanoparticles, whereby inorganic metal ions are converted to nanoparticles via the reductive and metal ion sequestering activities of the metabolites present in plants.

My team has initiated this interdisciplinary area at the James Hutton Institute and significantly improved the use of plant extracts by admixing virus nanoparticles (VNPs) of different size and shape, which increases the level of nanoparticle formation and monodispersity. An international patent describing this system, termed “Nanoparticle synthesis using plant extracts and virus” (PCT/GB2013/052473) “Nanoparticles”, was filed on 21/09/12. Using plant extracts we have also been able to deposit metal on the surface of the virus and thus form metallized virus particles. Although TMV VNPs on their own are not directly capable of producing nanoparticles, they have a large surface area with a plethora of metal ion interacting side chains which probably promote nucleation events in the presence of the reducing plant extract. This platform for green synthesis of metal nanoparticles is an eco-friendly alternative to chemical production of nanoparticles, which links materials science with biotechnology in the emerging field of nanobiotechnology. The use of plants as bioreactors for VNP–mediated production of nanoparticles would also provide a low-cost, low energy technology option (compared with industrial chemical technologies) which in addition can be easily scaled up or down depending on demands. We have also been successful in the nucleation and surface deposition of biomineral, hydroxyapatite (HA), from its precursors on individual VNPs forming HA nanonets. The aim of this work is to produce a novel variety of morphologically distinct multifunctional and structurally sound HA networks that actively elicit cellular repair mechanisms. Given the cheapness and ease of production of functionalized VNP matrices this approach is very attractive for tissue repair applications.

Recently my team has also developed new “green” technologies for producing novel natural 3D nanomaterials and nanodevices using virus-like NPs as catalysts [(British Patent Application P165516.GB01(2014)] and established collaboration with CelluComp (Scottish SME) for commercialization of these materials.

Another area of nanobiotechnology initiated by my group is a plant-based platform for production of vaccines and diagnostic tools. In particular during the last years my team has developed plant virus-based diagnostics tools and vaccines against bovine papilloma virus and sheep scab mite (in collaboration with Moredun Research Institute).Structure and architecture of plant virus nanoparticles

In collaboration with leading microscopy teams at the University of Dundee, Abertay University, Moscow State University we have developed and successfully exploited atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques to analyse the molecular structure and architecture of virus nanoparticles and novel virus transport devices (particle tails) of closteroviruses and potyviruses. We have also developed AFM-based approaches for measuring forces between viral RNA and protein molecules at the single-molecule level. This interdisciplinary work provides a physical basis for both understanding the mechanisms underpinning virus replication cycles and developing new virus-based tools for nanobiotechnology.

Environmental virology
Up until now viruses have been mainly regarded as pathogens of humans, animals and plants, and have also been used as research tools in molecular biology. However, the role of viruses appears to be much more extensive as they have been shown to be the most abundant and diverse biological entities in a number of diverse environments such as the sea. Considering that soil is an important biological and economical resource and that interactions of viruses with soils are largely uncharacterized, my group has initiated and developed this research at the James Hutton Institute. Indeed, soil viruses are of great importance as they may influence the ecology of soil biological communities through both an ability to transfer genes from host to host and as a potential cause of microbial mortality. Despite this importance the area of soil virology is understudied. To explore role of the viruses in plant health and soil quality, my team is studying virus diversity and abundance in different geographic areas (ecosystems) using classical methods of virus purification, electron microscopy as well as next generation sequencing (metagenomic studies). This area of research also provides new insights into biodiversity of viruses their genome structure and functions as well as into mechanisms of evolution. For example, a novel bacteriophage genome architecture where one phage genome nestles inside the genome of another has been described. The formation of such ‘Russian Doll’ architecture of a phage genome has not been described previously and might represent a novel ‘fast track’ route of virus evolution and horizontal gene transfer.

Plant caspase-like proteases as functional analogues of animal caspases
The role in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a fundamentally important process that regulates growth, development and responses to pathogen attack and abiotic stresses. Caspases (cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinases) have been shown to play a critical role in animal PCD. However, no direct homologues of animal caspase genes have been identified in plants. Recently in collaboration with the Moscow State University team (Prof. A. Vartapetian), we have found this missing link in plant PCD and identified plant proteins with caspase-like protease activity which are a functional analogue of animal caspase. This protein has been purified from plants, identified as putative subtilisin-like proteases and named phytaspase (plant aspartate specific protease). We provide evidence that phytaspase is essential for PCD-related responses to biotic (virus attack) and abiotic (environmental) stresses. We suggest a model whereby after translation, phytaspase is activated and secreted into the apoplast in which it may be sequestered before PCD and/or fulfils a guarding function. In response to a variety of biotic or abiotic stresses, phytaspase is re-localised from the apoplast to inside the cell where it functions as executioner of PCD.

Awards and external activities

  • Russian State Prize in Science and Technology (the highest scientific national award in Russia). 1994.
  • UK Research Councils’ Individual Merit Promotion to Band IM3, 2003-present.
  • Member of Editorial Board of Journal of General Virology 2001-2007.
  • Review Editor of Frontiers in Plant-Microbe Interaction 2011-present.
  • Review Editor of Frontiers in Virology 2011-present.
  • Member of Editorial Board of ISRN Virology 2011-present.
  • Review Editor of Frontiers in Plant Physiology 2011-present.
  • Adjunct Professor in Biochemistry, Immunology, Molecular and Cellular Biology at Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. 2001-present.
  • Visiting Professor at University of Edinburgh 2008-present.

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Taliansky, M.E.; Torrance, L. (2008) Plant virus movement., In: Harper, D. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, A20711
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Ryabov, E. (2008) Umbraviruses., In: Mahy, W.J. & Van Regenmortel, M.H.V. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Virology. 3rd edition. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 209-213.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Torrance, L.; Kalinina, N.O. (2008) Role of plant virus movement proteins., In: Foster, G.D., Hong, G., Johansen, I.E. & Nagy, P.D. (eds.). Plant Virology Protocols: From Viral Sequence to Protein Function. 2nd edition. Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, pp33-54.
  • Mayo, M.A.; Leibowitz, M.J.; Palukaitis, P.; Scholthof, K.G.; Simon, A.E.; Stanley, J.; Taliansky, M.E. (2005) Satellites., In: Virus Taxonomy. Seventh Report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (eds. M.H.V. Van Regenmortel, C.M. Fauquet, D.H.L. Bishop, E. Carstens, M. Estes, S. Lemon, J. Maniloff, M.A.Mayo, D. McGeoch, C.R. Pringle, R.B. Wickner). New York, San Diego, Academic Press, pp1163-1169.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Robinson, D.J. (2002) Genus Umbravirus., In: Todona, C.A. & Darai, G. (eds.). The Springer Index of Viruses. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp1351-1355.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Barker, H. (1999) Movement of luteoviruses in infected plants., In: Smith, H.G. & Barker, H. (eds.). The Luteoviridae. CABI Publishing, pp69-83.
  • Mayo, M.A.; Taliansky, M.E.; Fritsch, C. (1999) Large satellite RNA: molecular parasitism or molecular symbiosis., In: Vogt, P. & Jackson, A.O. (eds.). Satellites and Defective Viral RNAs. Springer, Berlin, pp65-79.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Palukaitis, P. (1999) Satellite RNAs and satellite viruses., In: R. Webster & A. Granoff (eds.). Encyclopedia of Virology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp1607-1615.

Technical / contract reports

  • Taliansky, M.E.; Shaw, J.; Torrance, L. (2011) Role of the nucleolus in plant virus pathogenicity., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp42-43.
  • Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; Gillespie, T.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Haupt, S.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2007) Nuclear voyage of a plant virus protein., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp22-23.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Robinson, D.J.; Waterhouse, P.M.; Murant, A.F.; dr Zoeten, G.A.; Falk, B.W.; Gibbs, M.J. (2003) Genus Umbravirus., International Committee on Taxonomy and Classification of Viruses VIII ICTV Report.
  • Barker, H.; Taliansky, M.E.; Mayo, M.A.; McGeachy, K.D.; Fraser, G.; Ryabov, E. (2002) Potato leafroll virus amplicons in the study of RNA silencing in plants., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2001/2002, pp111-114.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Palukaitis, P. (2002) Atomic force microscopy: applications for molecular biology., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2001/2002, pp93-96.
  • Barker, H.; McGeachy, K.D.; Robinson, D.J.; Ryabov, E.V.; Taliansky, M.E. (2000) Long-distance movement of viral RNAs in the absence of coat protein., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1999/2000, 144-146.
  • Mayo, M.A.; Taliansky, M.E.; Nurkiyanova, K.M.; Ryabov, E.V.; Duncan, G.H.; Canto, T.; Gray, S.M.; Commandeur, U. (2000) Fluorescent tagging of Potato leafroll virus.., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1999/2000, pp147-149.
  • Murant, A.F.; Robinson, D.J.; Taliansky, M.E. (1998) Groundnut rosette virus : descriptions of plant viruses., Association of Applied Biologists, 355, September 1998.

Conference papers

  • Taliansky, M.E.; Shaw, J.; Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.; Kalinina, N.O.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Brown, J.W.S. (2011) Involvement of the cell nucleus in plant virus systemic infections., Society for General Microbiology Spring Conference, Harrogate, 11-14 April 2011. Session: Seeing the cell through the Eyes of the Virus.
  • Shaw, J.; Canetta, E.; Kim, S.; Kalinina, N.O.; Adya, A.K.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2009) A plant virus movement protein forms ringlike complexes with major nucleolar protein, fibrillarrin in vitro., Association of Applied Biologists. Advances in Plant Virology, Harrogate, 1-3 April 2009.
  • Hopkins, D.W.; Swanson, M.M.; Torrance, L.; Taliansky, M.E.; Daniell, T.J. (2008) Virus-like particles from Antarctic dry valley soil., Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), Polar Research – Arctic and Antarctic perspectives in the International Polar Year, St Petersburg, Russia, 8-11 July 2008.
  • Swanson, M.M.; Daniell, T.J.; Fraser, G.; Hopkins, D.W.; Taliansky, M.E.; Torrance, L. (2008) Virus-like particles from Antarctic dry valley soil., 12th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME-12), Cairns, Australia, 17-22 August 2008.
  • Swanson, M.M.; Fraser, G.; Daniell, T.J.; Hopkins, D.W.; Gregory, P.J.; Torrance, L.; Taliansky, M.E. (2007) Morphological diversity and abundance of viruses in soils., Society General Microbiology 161st Meeting, Edinburgh, 3-6 September 2007.
  • Kim, S.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Kalinina, N.; Rakitina, D.V.; Ryabov, E.; Gillespie, T.; Haupt, S.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2007) Interaction between a plant virus-encoded protein and the major nucleolar protein fibrillarin, is required for virus systemic infection., AAB Advances in Virology, University of Greenwich, 11-12 September 2007.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; Kalinina, N.; Rakitina, D.V.; Gillespie, T.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Brown, J.W.S. (2006) Involvement of the nucleolus in plant virus systemic infection., EMBO Workshop ‘The Nucleolus: New Perspectives’. York, 27-30 March 2006.
  • Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Kalinina, N.O.; Rakitina, D.V.; Gillespie, T.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2006) Involvement of the nulceolus in Umbravirus long-distance movement., Plasmodesmata 2006, Pitlochry, 30 July – 3 August 2006.
  • Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2004) Involvement of the nucleolus in plant virus systemic infection., Post-transcriptional Regulation of Plant Gene Expression, Norwich, 15-17 April 2004.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; Robinson, D.J.; Brown, J.W.S. (2003) Involvement of the Nucleolus in Umbravirus Systemic Infection., XI Congress of International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, St Petersburg, Russia, 18-27 July 2003, pp73-76.
  • Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2003) The intracellular trafficking of the ORF3 protein of Groundnut rosette umbravirus (GRV)., Advances in Plant Virology, AAB Conference, Montpellier, France, September 2003.
  • Titova, E.S.; Chichkova, N.V.; Kim, S.; Taliansky, M.E.; Vartapetyau, A.N. (2003) A Plant caspase-like protease activated in the course of the hypersensitive response., XI Congress of International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, St Petersburg, Russia, 18-27 July 2003.
  • Kalinina, N.; Roberts, I.; Ryabov, E.; Robinson, D.J.; Oparka, K.J.; Taliansky, M.E. (2003) An umbraviral long-distance movement protein forms unique, protective ribonucleoprotein complexes., XI Congress of International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. St Petersburg, Russia, 18-27 July 2003.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Mayo, M.; Barker, H.; Kim, S.; Kalinina, N. (2003) Effect of biotic and abiotic factors on escape of Potato leafroll virus from amplicon-mediated RNA resistance., XI Congress of International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, St Petersburg, Russia, 18-27 July 2003.
  • Taliansky, M.E. (2002) RNA silencing in plants: application for biotechnology., 1st International Congress on Biotechnology: State of Art and Prospects of Development. Moscow, Russia, 14-18 October 2002.
  • Palukaitis, P.; Kim, S.; Andreev, I.; Ryabov, E.V.; Taliansky, M.E.; Kalinina, N.O.; Fan, Y.C.; Fitzgerald, A.G. (2001) Structure-Function analysis of the CMV and GRV movement proteins., Plasmodesma 2001, Cape Town, South Africa, 19-24 August 2001, 42-44.
  • Murant, A.F.; Robinson, D.J.; Taliansky, M.E. (1998) Groundnut rosette virus., Association of Applied Biologists, Description of Plant Viruses, No. 355.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Taliansky, M.; Shaw, J.; Kim, S.H.; Ryabov, E.; Kalinina, N.; MacFarlane, S.; Brown, J.W.S. (2011) The nucleolus and plant virus infections., The XV International Congress of Virology, Sapporo, Japan, 6-16 September 2011.
  • Taliansky, M.; Shaw, J.; Kim, S.H.; Ryabov, E.; Kalinina, N.; MacFarlane, S.; Brown, J.W.S. (2011) Role of Cajal bodies in plant virus infections., First International SFB 796 Symposium, Mechanisms of Viral Host Cell Manipulation – From Plants to Humans, Bamberg, Germany 2-4 October 2011.
  • Kim, S.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Kalinina, N.O.; Rakitina, D.V.; Ryabov, E.V.; Gillespie, T.; Haupt, S.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E. (2007) Cajal bodies, the nucleolus and fibrillarin are required for a plant virus systemic infection., 20th Wilhelm Bernhard Workshop, International Conference on the Cell Nucleus. St Andrews, 27-31 August 2007, 19.
  • Kim, S.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Kalinina, N.O.; Rakitina, D.V.; Ryabov, E.V.; Gillespie, T.; Haupt, S.; Brown, J.W.S.; Taliansky, M.E.; (2007) Cajal bodies, the nucleolus and fibrillarin are required for a plant virus systemic infection., 6th Symposium on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Gene Expression, Carry-le-Rouet, France, 10-13 May 2007, 22 (Abstract).
  • Reavy, B.; Bagirova, S.; Chichkova, N.V.; Fedoseeva, S.; Kim, S.; Vartapetian, A.B.; Taliansky, M.E. (2007) Caspase-resistant VirD2 protein provides enhanced gene delivery and expression in plants., 13th EAPR Virology Section Meeting, Aviemore, 17-21 June 2007, 15.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; Kalinina, N.; Rakitina, D.V.; Gillespie, T.; MacFarlane, S.A.; Brown, J.W.S. (2006) Involvement of the nucleolus and Cajal bodies in plant virus systemic infection., EMBO workshop on Plant Virology: Suppression and Circumvention of Host Defence by Plant Viruses, Haikko, Finland, 1-5 July 2006, 25.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Kim, S.; Ryabov, E.V.; Brown, J.W.S. (2003) Is the nucleolus a gateway to umbravirus systemic infection?, EMBO Workshop, Keszthely, Hungary 2003 (Abstract).
  • Palukaitis, P.; Kim, S.; Taliansky, M.E.; Andreev, I.; Fitzgerald, A.G.; Kalinina, N.O.; Ryabov, E.V. (2003) Effects of deleting of the C-terminal 33 amino acids of the cucumber mosaic virus 3a protein on movement, RNA binding and inhibition of infection and translation., Abstracts of the 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Virology, Davis, CA, USA, 12-16 July, 2003.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Mayo, M.A.; Barker, H.; Kim, S.; Kalinina, N.; McGeachy, K.D.; Fraser, G.L. (2002) Suppressor-independent escape of Potato leafroll virus from amplicon-mediated RNA silencing., Abstracts of the Xth International Congress of Virology, Paris, July 2002.
  • Duncan, G.H.; Mayo, M.A.; Barker, H.; McGeachy, K.D.; Taliansky, M.E. (2002) PLRV amplicon expresssion: electron microscope observations., Abstracts of the XIIth International Congress of Virology, Paris, July 2002, 14.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Ryabov, E.V.; Kalinina, N.O.; Robinson, D.J.; Roberts, I.M.; Oparka, K.J. (2001) Umbravirus ORF3-encoded protein is a multifunctional RNA-binding protein that both stabilizes viral RNA and mediates its systemic movement., Abstracts of the American Society of Virology Meeting. Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 2001.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Ryabov, E.V.; Robinson, D.J.; Kalinina, N.O.; Roberts, I.M. (2001) Umbraviruses and post-transcriptional gene silencing., Abstracts of International Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Genetic Processes and Biotechnology, Moscow, November 2001.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Ryabov, E.V.; Robinson, D.J.; Mayo, M.A.; Barker, H. (2000) Movement functions of umbraviruses., Abstracts of EMBO Workshop, Kolymbari, Crete, Greece, 29.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; Nurkiyanova, K.M.; Palukaitis, P.; Fan, Y.; Fitzgerald, A.G. (2000) Probing biomolecular transport complexes of two plant viruses with atomic force microscopy., 2nd International Conference on Scanning Probe Microscopy in Biomaterials Science, Bristol, 23 June 2000, 36.
  • Nurkiyanova, K.M.; Ryabov, E.V.; Gray, S.M.; Canto, T.; Mayo, M.A.; Taliansky, M.E. (1999) Tagging Potato leafroll virus with the green fluorescent protein gene., Abstracts of the XI International Congress of Virology, Sydney, 9-13 August 1999, 223.
  • Robinson, D.J.; Taliansky, M.E.; Ryabov, E.V. (1999) Expression of luteovirus coat protein in transgenic plants is revealed by infection with an umbravirus., Abstracts of the XI International Congress of Virology, Sydney, 49.
  • Taliansky, M.E.; (1998) Use of viral vectors expressing molecular reporters for plant virus research. Molecular mechanisms of stress responses in plants., Abstract from the International Symposium on Molecular Mechanisms of Stress Responses in Plants, Moscow, 80.

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