The nonstructural glycoprotein of rotavirus affects intracellular calcium levels

Synthesis of a ricin toxin B subunit-rotavirus VP7 fusion protein in potato

A gene encoding the outer capsid glycoprotein (VP7) of simian rotavirus SA11, was genetically linked to the amino terminus of the ricin toxin B subunit (RTB) isolated from castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis) seeds. To assess fusion protein expression in plant cells, the VP7::RTB fusion gene was transferred into potato (Solanum tuberosum) cells by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation methods and transformed plants regenerated. The fusion gene was detected in transformed potato genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction DNA amplification methods. Immunoblot analysis with anti-SA11 antiserum as the primary antibody verified the presence of VP7::RTB fusion protein in transformed potato tuber tissues. The plant-synthesized fusion protein bound RTB membrane receptors as measured by asialofetuin-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ELISA results indicated that the VP7::RTB fusion protein was biologically active and made up approx 0.03% of total soluble transformed tuber protein. The biosynthesis of receptor binding VP7::RTB fusion protein in potato tissues demonstrates the feasibility of producing monomeric ricin toxin B subunit adjuvant-virus antigen fusion proteins in crop plants for enhanced immunity.

Evaluation of serum antibody responses against the rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP4 in children after rhesus rotavirus tetravalent vaccination or natural infection

The immune response elicited by the rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP4 and its potential role in protection against rotavirus disease are not well understood. We investigated the serological response to NSP4 and its correlation with disease protection in sera from 110 children suffering acute diarrhea, associated or not with rotavirus, and from 26 children who were recipients of the rhesus rotavirus tetravalent (RRV-TV) vaccine. We used, as antigens in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), affinity-purified recombinant NSP4 (residues 85 to 175) from strains SA11, Wa, and RRV (genotypes A, B, and C, respectively) fused to glutathione S-transferase. Seroconversion to NSP4 was observed in 54% (42/78) of the children who suffered from natural rotavirus infection and in 8% (2/26) of the RRV-TV vaccine recipients. Our findings indicate that NSP4 evokes significantly (P < 0.05) higher seroconversion rates after natural infection than after RRV-TV vaccination. The serum antibody levels to NSP4 were modest (titers of < or = 200) in most of the infected and vaccinated children. A heterotypic NSP4 response was detected in 48% of the naturally rotavirus-infected children with a detectable response to NSP4. Following natural infection or RRV-TV vaccination, NSP4 was significantly less immunogenic than the VP6 protein when these responses were independently measured by ELISA. A significant (P < 0.05) proportion of children who did not develop diarrhea associated with rotavirus had antibodies to NSP4 in acute-phase serum, suggesting that serum antibodies against NSP4 might correlate with protection from rotavirus diarrhea. In addition, previous exposures to rotavirus did not affect the NSP4 seroconversion rate.

Oral immunization with a shiga toxin B subunit::rotavirus NSP490 fusion protein protects mice against gastroenteritis

A fusion protein containing the shiga toxin-1 B subunit (STB) linked to a 90 amino acid peptide (aa residues 86--175) from simian rotavirus (SA--11) nonstructural protein NSP4 was synthesized in Escherichia coli. Mice orally inoculated with 60 microg of STB::NSP4(90) fusion protein per dose generated higher humoral and intestinal antibody titers than mice inoculated with 30 microg of NSP4 alone. Serum anti-NSP4 IgG2a isotype titers were substantially greater than IgG1 titers, suggesting a dominant Th1 immune response. ELISA measurement of cytokines secreted from splenocytes isolated from immunized mice confirmed the STB::NSP4(90) fusion protein stimulation of a strong Th1 cell mediated immune response. Diarrhea in SA-11 rotavirus challenged neonates suckling from STB::NSP4 immunized dams was significantly reduced in severity and duration in comparison with virus challenged neonates from unimmunized mice. Together, our experiments demonstrate for the first time that the shiga toxin B subunit provides ligand mediated delivery of virus antigens to the gut-associated lymphoid tissues for enhanced stimulation of humoral and cellular responses against rotavirus gastroenteritis.

Viroporin activity of murine hepatitis virus E protein

The viroporin activity of the E protein from murine hepatitis virus (MHV), a member of the coronaviruses, was analyzed. Viroporins are a growing family of viral proteins able to enhance membrane permeability, promoting virus budding. Initially, the MHV E gene was inducibly expressed in Escherichia coli cells, leading to the arrest of bacterial growth, cell lysis and permeabilization to different compounds. Thus, exit of labeled nucleotides from E. coli cells to the cytoplasm was apparent upon expression of MHV E. In addition, enhanced entry of the antibiotic hygromycin B occurred at levels comparable to those observed with the viroporin 6K from Sindbis virus. Mammalian cells are also readily permeabilized by the expression of MHV E protein. Finally, brefeldin A powerfully blocks the viroporin activity of the E protein in BHK cells, suggesting that an intact vesicular system is necessary for this coronavirus to permeabilize mammalian cells.

Comparison of NSP4 protein between group A and B human rotaviruses: detection of novel diarrhea-causing sequences in group B NSP4

The human group B rotavirus is a causative agent of severe adult diarrhea. In this study, we analyzed the NSP4 structure of a group B rotavirus strain, CAL-1, and determined whether enterotoxin activity was present in CAL-1 NSP4. CAL-1 NSP4 was comprised of 219 amino acids which was longer than group A and C rotavirus NSP4, and the primary structures of their sequences differed considerably. However, CAL-1 NSP4 had an enterotoxin-like sequence (residues 106-127) that was only 27% identical to the enterotoxin region of NSP4 of KUN (a group A rotavirus strain) at residues 114-135. Interestingly, both of the synthetic peptides, one (residues 99-128) containing the enterotoxin-like sequence and the other (residues 191-219) containing 29 C-terminal amino acids of CAL-1 NSP4, induced diarrhea in 5.5-day-old mice, but not in 17.5-day-old mice, when administered parenterally. Thus, rotavirus "enterotoxin" sequences could be considerably divergent.

Ca2+ permeability of the plasma membrane induced by rotavirus infection in cultured cells is inhibited by tunicamycin and brefeldin A

Rotavirus infection of cultured cells induces a progressive increase in plasma membrane permeability to Ca2+. The viral product responsible for this effect is not known. We have used tunicamycin and brefeldin A to prevent glycosylation and membrane traffic and study the involvement of viral glycoproteins, NSP4 and/or VP7, in rotavirus-infected HT29 and MA104 cells. In infected cells, we observed an increase of plasma membrane Ca2+ permeability and a progressive depletion of agonist-releasable ER pools measured with fura 2 and an enhancement of total Ca2+ content measured as 45Ca2+ uptake. Tunicamycin inhibited the increase in membrane Ca2+ permeability, induced a depletion of agonist-releasable and 45Ca2+-sequestered pools. Brefeldin A inhibited the increase of Ca2+ permeability and the increase in 45Ca2+ uptake induced by infection. We propose that the glycosylated viral product NSP4 (and/or VP7) travels to the plasma membrane to form a Ca2+ channel and hence elevate Ca2+ permeability.

Humoral immune response to rotavirus NSP4 enterotoxin in Spanish children

The rotavirus non-structural protein 4 (NSP4) has been shown to play a crucial role in rotavirus-induced diarrhea, acting as a viral enterotoxin. It has also been demonstrated that antibody to NSP4 can reduce the severity of rotavirus-induced diarrhea in newborn mice. Two recombinant baculoviruses, expressing the NSP4 protein from the SA11 and Wa rotavirus strains, genotypes A and B, respectively, were used to produce and purify these glycoproteins, which were applied as antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to test the specific antibody response to NSP4 in human sera. Serum samples from 30 children convalescing from a rotavirus infection, from 54 healthy children under 5-years-old, and from 49 adults were tested to determine the presence of antibodies to the viral enterotoxin and to rotavirus structural proteins. Seventy percent of the sera from rotavirus-infected children showed an IgG antibody response to either one or both NSP4 proteins used in this study, although the response was weak. However, IgG antibodies towards either one or both NSP4 proteins were only detected in 26% of the non-convalescent healthy children and in only 18% of the adults. No serum IgA antibodies towards NSP4 were found in this study. IgG antibody recognition of the NSP4 protein from the SA11 and Wa rotavirus strains was not always heterotypic.

Spike protein VP4 assembly with maturing rotavirus requires a postendoplasmic reticulum event in polarized caco-2 cells

Rotavirus assembly is a multistep process that requires the successive association of four major structural proteins in three concentric layers. It has been assumed until now that VP4, the most external viral protein that forms the spikes of mature virions, associates with double-layer particles within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in conjunction with VP7 and with the help of a nonstructural protein, NSP4. VP7 and NSP4 are two glycosylated proteins. However, we recently described a strong association of VP4 with raft-type membrane microdomains, a result that makes the ER a highly questionable site for the final assembly of rotavirus, since rafts are thought to be absent from this compartment. In this study, we used tunicamycin (TM), a drug known to block the first step of protein N glycosylation, as a tool to dissect rotavirus assembly. We show that, as expected, TM blocks viral protein glycosylation and also decreases virus infectivity. In the meantime, viral particles were blocked as enveloped particles in the ER. Interestingly, TM does not prevent the targeting of VP4 to the cell surface nor its association with raft membranes, whereas the infectivity associated with the raft fractions strongly decreased. VP4 does not colocalize with the ER marker protein disulfide-isomerase even when viral particles were blocked by TM in this compartment. These results strongly support a primary role for raft membranes in rotavirus final assembly and the fact that VP4 assembly with the rest of the particle is an extrareticular event.

Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies against rotavirus NSP4 enterotoxin generated by phage display

The rotavirus non-structural NSP4 protein causes membrane destabilization as well as an increase in intracellular calcium levels in eukaryotic cells and induces diarrhea in young mice, acting as a viral enterotoxin. In this study the phage display technique was used to generate a panel of single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies specific for the NSP4 protein of the human rotavirus strain Wa from a human semi-synthetic scFv library. After several rounds of panning and selection on NSP4 adsorbed to polystyrene tubes, individual scFv were isolated and characterised by fingerprinting and by sequencing the VH and VL genes. The isolated scFv antibodies specifically recognize NSP4 in enzyme immunoassay and in Western blot. Four truncated forms of the NSP4 protein were constructed which allowed us to map the binding region of the selected scFv antibodies to the C-terminal portion of NSP4. The isolated scFv antibodies constitute valuable tools to analyse the mechanisms of NSP4 functions.

The transmembrane domain of hepatitis C virus E1 glycoprotein induces cell death

The E1 protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) shows the ability to induce cell lysis by the alteration of membrane permeability when expressed in Escherichia coli cells. This function seems to be an intrinsic property of a C-terminal hydrophobic region of E1 as permeability changes and cell lysis can be blocked by mutagenesis of specific amino acids in this domain. To establish whether the expression of E1 protein and its C-terminal domain was able to induce cell death also in eukaryotic cell, we cloned HCV sequences expressing the full-length E1 (E383), the C-terminal domain (SVP) and a mutant lacking the C-terminal region (E340) in the pRC/CMV expression vector. HepG2 cell line was co-transfected with empty vector or HCV expression plasmids and a reporter vector that expressed beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) to visualize co-transfected blue cells. At 60 h after transfection, the loss of blue cells, considered as a measure of cell death, was 31.5 and 64.3% for the E1 and SVP clones. On the contrary, the number of blue cells after transfection with E340 plasmid was similar to that observed with the control vector. The analysis by the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay revealed an increased number of apoptotic cells at 48 h after transfection with E1 and SVP clones. Furthermore, cells transfected with SVP revealed a typical internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and the activation of caspase-3-like proteases as the specific inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO peptide partially blocked SVP apoptosis. These data indicate that the intracellular expression of HCV E1 protein and its C-terminal domain induces an apoptotic response in human hepatoma cell line.

RNA silencing of rotavirus gene expression

RNA interference (RNAi) is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-triggered mechanism for suppressing gene expression, which is conserved in evolution and has emerged as a powerful tool to study gene function. Rotaviruses, the leading cause of severe diarrhea in young children, are formed by three concentric layers of protein, and a genome composed of 11 segments of dsRNA. Here, we show that the RNAi machinery can be triggered to silence rotavirus gene expression by sequence-specific short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). RNAi is also useful for the study of the virus-cell interactions, through the silencing of cellular genes that are potentially important for the replication of the virus. Interestingly, while the translation of mRNAs is readily stopped by the RNAi machinery, the viral transcripts involved in virus genome replication do not seem to be susceptible to RNAi. Since gene silencing by RNAi is very efficient and specific, this system could become a novel therapeutic approach for rotavirus and other virus infections, once efficient methods for in vivo delivery of siRNAs are developed. Although the use of RNAi as an antiviral therapeutic tool remains to be demonstrated, there is no doubt that this technology will influence drastically the way postgenomic virus research is conducted.

Co-immunization with an HIV-1 Tat transduction peptide-rotavirus enterotoxin fusion protein stimulates a Th1 mucosal immune response in mice

The cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) and a 12 aa HIV-1 Tat transduction peptide were genetically linked to a 90 aa peptide from the murine rotavirus non-structural enterotoxin protein (NSP4) for comparison of receptor directed and transduction peptide mediated antigen targeting to the gut associated lymphoid tissues for enhanced protection against rotavirus infection. Oral immunization with Tat-NSP4(90) fusion protein isolated from Escherichia coli generated detectable anti-NSP4(90) IgG titers in mice. CTB-NSP4(90) fusion protein stimulated higher serum IgG titers than CTB fused to a 22 aa immunodominant epitope NSP4(22) indicating the presence of additional immunogenic epitopes in the NSP4(90) peptide. Mice immunized with CTB-NSP4(22) stimulated high IgG2a antibody levels suggesting a dominant Th1 lymphocyte response. However, mice immunized with CTB-NSP4(90) generated similar levels of IgG1 and IgG2a suggesting equal stimulation of Th1 and Th2 responses. Mice co-immunized with CTB-NSP4(90) and Tat-NSP4(90) fusion proteins generated dominant IgG2a levels indicating that the two ligands co-operate to generate an increased Th1 response.

The ion channels coded by viruses

Pathogenicity and virulence are multifactorial traits, depending on interaction of viruses with susceptible cells and organisms. The ion channels coded by viruses, viroporins, represent only one factor taking part in the cascade of interactions between virus and cell, leading to the entry of virus, replication and to profound changes in membrane permeability. The M2 protein from influenza A virus forms proton-selective, pH-regulated channel involved in regulating vesicular pH, a function important for the correct maturation of HA glycoprotein. The NB glycoprotein of influenza B viruses is an integral membrane protein with an ion channel activity. The CM2 protein of influenza C virus is an integral membrane glycoprotein structurally analogous to influenza A virus M2 and influenza B virus NB proteins. The picornavirus 3A protein is involved in cell lysis and shows homology with other lytic proteins. Vpu is an oligomeric integral membrane protein encoded by HIV-1, which forms ion channels. The togavirus 6K protein shows structural similarities with other viroporins.

Synthesis of an HIV-1 Tat transduction domain-rotavirus enterotoxin fusion protein in transgenic potato

A DNA fragment encoding a 12-amino acid (aa) HIV-1 Tat transduction peptide fused to a 90-aa murine rotavirus NSP4 enterotoxin protein (Tat-NSP4(90)) was transferred to Solanum tuberosum by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The fusion gene was detected in the genomic DNA of transformed plant leaf tissues by PCR DNA amplification. The Tat-NSP4(90 )fusion protein was identified in transformed tuber extracts by immunoblot analysis using anti-NSP4(90) and anti-Tat as the primary antibodies. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that the Tat-NSP4(90) fusion protein made up to 0.0015% of the total soluble tuber protein. The synthesis of Tat-NSP4(90) fusion protein in transformed potato tuber tissues demonstrates the feasibility of plant cell delivery of the HIV-1 Tat transduction domain as a carrier for non-specific targeting of fused antigens to the mucosal immune system.

Assembly of cholera toxin B subunit full-length rotavirus NSP4 fusion protein oligomers in transgenic potato

A CTB-NSP4(175) fusion gene encoding the entire 175-aa murine rotavirus NSP4 enterotoxin protein was transferred into Solanum tuberosum cells by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The CTB-NSP4(175) enterotoxin fusion gene was detected in the genomic DNA of transformed leaves by PCR DNA amplification. Synthesis and assembly of the full-length CTB-NSP4(175) fusion protein into oligomeric structures of pentamer size was detected in transformed tuber extracts by immunoblot analysis. The binding of CTB-NSP4(175 )fusion protein pentamers to intestinal epithelial cell membrane receptors was quantified by G(M1)-ganglioside enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (G(M1)-ELISA). The ELISA results showed that CTB-NSP4(175) fusion protein was 0.006-0.026% of the total soluble tuber protein. The synthesis of CTB-NSP4(175) monomers and their assembly into biologically active oligomers in transformed potato tubers demonstrates the feasibility of using edible plants for the synthesis of enterocyte-targeted full-length rotavirus enterotoxin antigens that retain all of their pathogenic epitopes for initiation of a maximum mucosal immune response.

Detailed computational analysis of a comprehensive set of group A rotavirus NSP4 proteins

Rotavirus infection causes diarrhea to humans, animals and birds. The NSP4 protein of Group A rotavirus has been recognized as a viral enterotoxin. This single protein plays important roles in viral pathogenesis and morphogenesis. Domains involved in structure and biologic functions have been proposed mainly based on the SA11 strain, a prototype of group A rotavirus. NSP4 has been classified into different genotypes based on sequence homology. These analyses are based on representative strains selected but not comprehensive. In this paper, we collected all NSP4 sequences in the GenBank and performed a detailed computational analysis. Our analysis of 176 NSP4 proteins in Groups A, B and C rotaviruses confirms that the recently published avian NSP4 sequences belong to a new genotype (Mori Y., Borgan M.A., Ito N., Sugiyama M. and Minamoto N., Virus Res 89, 145-151, 2002), besides the four known NSP4 genotypes of Group A mammalian rotaviruses. Significant differences were discovered in the physicochemical properties between the avian and mammalian NSP4 proteins. In particular, lack of a highly probable coiled-coil region in the avian sequences implies a diversion of the NSP4 quaternary structure from the latter, although the secondary and tertiary structures may be similar. Fourteen amino acids are found absolutely conserved in the Group A NSP4 sequences, regardless of genotype. Of the conserved residues, two are glycosylation sites, one is in the middle of the transmembrane segment, seven span the VP4 binding domain, and five are clustered in the middle of the toxic peptide region, indicating the functional importance of the conservation.

Intestinal epithelial responses to enteric pathogens: effects on the tight junction barrier, ion transport, and inflammation

The effects of pathogenic organisms on host intestinal epithelial cells are vast. Innumerable signalling pathways are triggered leading ultimately to drastic changes in physiological functions. Here, the ways in which enteric bacterial pathogens utilise and impact on the three major physiological functions of the intestinal epithelium are discussed: alterations in the structure and function of the tight junction barrier, induction of fluid and electrolyte secretion, and activation of the inflammatory cascade. This field of investigation, which was virtually non-existent a decade ago, has now exploded, thus rapidly expanding our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis. Through increased delineation of the ways in which microbes alter host physiology, we simultaneous gain insight into the normal regulatory mechanisms of the intestinal epithelium.

I, 3. The enteric nervous system and infectious diarrhea

This chapter discusses the background knowledge about the enteric nervous system (ENS) as well as the role of ENS in secretory states of the small intestine. The chapter describes the anatomy and physiology of the ENS. A description of the experimental evidence for the involvement of ENS in secretory states of the gut, primarily in cholera toxin-induced secretion that is the most thoroughly investigated secretory state, is presented in the chapter. The chapter focuses on the involvement of ENS in rotavirus (RV) diarrhea. The involvement of the ENS in diarrhea pathophysiology opens up new potential sites of action for drugs in the treatment of intestinal secretory states. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the sites of action for the pharmacological treatment of diarrhea.

Gene expression pattern in Caco-2 cells following rotavirus infection

Rotaviruses are recognized as the leading cause of severe dehydrating diarrhea in infants and young children worldwide. Preventive and therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to fight this pathogen. In tissue culture and in vivo, rotavirus induces structural and functional alterations in the host cell. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the events after rotavirus infection, we identified host cellular genes whose mRNA levels changed after infection. For this analysis, we used microarrays containing more than 38,000 human cDNAs to study the transcriptional response of the human intestinal cell line Caco-2 to rotavirus infection. We found that 508 genes were differentially regulated >2-fold at 16 h after rotavirus infection, and only one gene was similarly regulated at 1 h postinfection. Of these transcriptional changes, 73% corresponded to the upregulation of genes, with the majority of them occurring late, at 12 or more hours postinfection. Some of the regulated genes were classified according to known biological function and included genes encoding integral membrane proteins, interferon-regulated genes, transcriptional and translational regulators, and calcium metabolism-related genes. A new picture of global transcriptional regulation in the infected cell is presented and families of genes which may be involved in viral pathogenesis are discussed.

Membrane interactions of a novel viral enterotoxin: rotavirus nonstructural glycoprotein NSP4

The rotavirus enterotoxin, NSP4, is a novel secretory agonist that also plays a role in the unique rotavirus morphogenesis that involves a transient budding of newly made immature viral particles into the endoplasmic reticulum. NSP4 and an active peptide corresponding to NSP4 residues 114 to 135 (NSP4(114-135)) mobilize intracellular calcium and induce secretory chloride currents when added exogenously to intestinal cells or mucosa. Membrane-NSP4 interactions may contribute to these alterations; however, details of a lipid-binding domain are unresolved. Therefore, circular dichroism was used to determine (i) the interaction(s) of NSP4 and NSP4(114-135) with model membranes, (ii) the conformational changes elicited in NSP4 upon interacting with membranes, (iii) if NSP4(114-135) is a membrane interacting domain, and (iv) the molar dissociation constant (K(d)) of NSP4(114-135) with defined lipid vesicles. Circular dichroism revealed for the first time that NSP4 and NSP4(114-135) undergo secondary structural changes upon interaction with membrane vesicles. This interaction was highly dependent on both the membrane surface curvature and the lipid composition. NSP4 and NSP4(114-135) preferentially interacted with highly curved, small unilamellar vesicle membranes (SUV), but significantly less with low-curvature, large unilamellar vesicle membranes (LUV). Binding to SUV, but not LUV, was greatly enhanced by negatively charged phospholipids. Increasing the SUV cholesterol content, concomitant with the presence of negatively charged phospholipids, further potentiated the interaction of NSP4(114-135) with the SUV membrane. The K(d) of NSP4(114-135) was determined as well as partitioning of NSP4(114-135) with SUVs in a filtration-binding assay. These data confirmed NSP4 and its active peptide interact with model membranes that mimic caveolae.

NSP4 enterotoxin of rotavirus induces paracellular leakage in polarized epithelial cells

The nonstructural NSP4 protein of rotavirus has been described as the first viral enterotoxin. In this study we have examined the effect of NSP4 on polarized epithelial cells (MDCK-1) grown on permeable filters. Apical but not basolateral administration of NSP4 was found to cause a reduction in the transepithelial electrical resistance, redistribution of filamentous actin, and an increase in paracellular passage of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran. Significant effects on transepithelial electrical resistance were noted after a 20- to 30-h incubation with 1 nmol of NSP4. Most surprisingly, the epithelium recovered its original integrity and electrical resistance upon removal of NSP4. Preincubation of nonconfluent MDCK-1 cells with NSP4 prevented not only development of a permeability barrier but also lateral targeting of the tight-junction-associated Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) protein. Taken together, these data indicate new and specific effects of NSP4 on tight-junction biogenesis and show a novel effect of NSP4 on polarized epithelia.

Membrane association of African horsesickness virus nonstructural protein NS3 determines its cytotoxicity

The smallest RNA genome segment of African horsesickness virus (AHSV) encodes the nonstructural protein NS3 (24K). NS3 localizes in areas of plasma membrane disruption and is associated with events of viral release. Conserved features in all AHSV NS3 proteins include the synthesis of a truncated NS3A protein from the same open reading frame as that of NS3, a proline-rich region, a region of strict sequence conservation and two hydrophobic domains. To investigate whether these features are associated with the cytotoxicity of NS3 or altered membrane permeability, a series of mutants were constructed and expressed in the BAC-TO-BAC baculovirus-expression system. Our results indicate that mutations in either of the two hydrophobic domains do not prevent membrane targeting of the mutant proteins but abolish their membrane anchoring. This prevents their localization to the cell surface and obviates their cytotoxic effect. The cytotoxicity of NS3 is therefore dependent on its membrane topography and thus involves both hydrophobic domains. NS3 has many of the characteristics of lytic viral proteins that play a central role in viral pathogenesis through modifying membrane permeability.

Crystal structure of the oligomerization domain of NSP4 from rotavirus reveals a core metal-binding site

During the maturation of rotaviral particles, non-structural protein 4 (NSP4) plays a critical role in the translocation of the immature capsid into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Full-length NSP4 and a 22 amino acid peptide (NSP4(114-135)) derived from this protein have been shown to induce diarrhea in young mice in an age-dependent manner, and may therefore be the agent responsible for rotavirally-induced symptoms. We have determined the crystal structure of the oligomerization domain of NSP4 which spans residues 95 to 137 (NSP4(95-137)). NSP4(95-137) self-associates into a parallel, tetrameric coiled-coil, with the hydrophobic core interrupted by three polar layers occupying a and d-heptad positions. Side-chains from two consecutive polar layers, consisting of four Gln123 and two of the four Glu120 residues, coordinate a divalent cation. Two independent structures built from MAD-phased data indicated the presence of a strontium and calcium ion bound at this site, respectively. This metal-binding site appears to play an important role in stabilizing the homo-tetramer, which has implications for the engagement of NSP4 as an enterotoxin.

Immobilization of the early secretory pathway by a virus glycoprotein that binds to microtubules

Membrane trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi complex is mediated by pleiomorphic carrier vesicles that are driven along microtubule tracks by the action of motor proteins. Here we describe how NSP4, a rotavirus membrane glycoprotein, binds to microtubules and blocks ER-to-Golgi trafficking in vivo. NSP4 accumulates in a post-ER, microtubule-associated membrane compartment and prevents targeting of vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) at a pre-Golgi step. NSP4 also redistributes beta-COP and ERGIC53, markers of a vesicular compartment that dynamically cycles between the ER and Golgi, to structures aligned along linear tracks radiating throughout the cytoplasm. This block in membrane trafficking is released when microtubules are depolymerized with nocodazole, indicating that vesicles containing NSP4 are tethered to the microtubule cytoskeleton. Disruption of microtubule-mediated membrane transport by a viral glycoprotein may represent a novel pathogenic mechanism and provides a new experimental tool for the dissection of early steps in exocytic transport.

A functional NSP4 enterotoxin peptide secreted from rotavirus-infected cells

Previous studies have shown that the nonstructural glycoprotein NSP4 plays a role in rotavirus pathogenesis by functioning as an enterotoxin. One prediction of the mechanism of action of this enterotoxin was that it is secreted from virus-infected cells. In this study, the media of cultured (i) insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus expressing NSP4, (ii) monkey kidney (MA104) cells infected with the simian (SA11) or porcine attenuated (OSU-a) rotavirus, and (iii) human intestinal (HT29) cells infected with SA11 were examined to determine if NSP4 was detectable. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-Western blotting, immunoprecipitation and N-terminal amino acid sequencing identified, in the early media from virus-infected cells, a secreted, cleavage product of NSP4 with an apparent molecular weight of 7,000 that represented amino acids 112 to 175 (NSP4 aa112-175). The secretion of NSP4 aa112-175 was not affected by treatment of cells with brefeldin A but was abolished by treatment with nocodazole and cytochalasin D, indicating that secretion of this protein occurs via a nonclassical, Golgi apparatus-independent mechanism that utilizes the microtubule and actin microfilament network. A partial gene fragment coding for NSP4 aa112-175 was cloned and expressed using the baculovirus-insect cell system. Purified NSP4 aa112-175 increased intracellular calcium mobilization in intestinal cells when added exogenously, and in insect cells when expressed endogenously, similarly to full-length NSP4. NSP4 aa112-175 caused diarrhea in neonatal mice, as did full-length NSP4. These results indicate that NSP4 aa112-175 is a functional NSP4 enterotoxin peptide secreted from rotavirus-infected cells.

NSP4 gene analysis of rotaviruses recovered from infected children with and without diarrhea

The transmembrane glycoprotein NSP4 functions as a viral enterotoxin capable of inducing diarrhea in young mice. It has been suggested that NSP4 may be a key determinant of rotavirus pathogenicity and a target for vaccine development. Twenty two G1P[6] rotaviruses from babies with and without diarrhea were comparatively analyzed along with reference strains and another 22 Taiwanese human rotaviruses of G and P combination types different from the G1P[6] type. The sequence variations in the NSP4 genes were studied by direct sequencing analysis of the amplicons of reverse transcription-PCR. Two genetic groups could be identified in this analysis. While the majority of these strains were closely related to the Wa strain, the G2 viruses were closely related to the S2 strain. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of the NSP4 gene among the G2 rotaviruses revealed three distinct lineages associated with DS-1, S2, and E210, respectively, as has been reported previously for the VP7 gene. However, we found no apparent correlation in the deduced amino acid sequences corresponding to the proposed enterotoxic peptide region between the rotaviruses recovered from individuals with and without diarrhea. The NSP4 gene product being a pathogenic determinant may not be a generalized phenomenon.

Rotavirus infection induces cytoskeleton disorganization in human intestinal epithelial cells: implication of an increase in intracellular calcium concentration

Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe infantile gastroenteritis worldwide. In vivo, rotavirus exhibits a marked tropism for the differentiated enterocytes of the intestinal epithelium. In vitro, differentiated and undifferentiated intestinal cells can be infected. We observed that rotavirus infection of the human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells induces cytoskeleton alterations as a function of cell differentiation. The vimentin network disorganization detected in undifferentiated Caco-2 cells was not found in fully differentiated cells. In contrast, differentiated Caco-2 cells presented Ca(2+)-dependent microtubule disassembly and Ca(2+)-independent cytokeratin 18 rearrangement, which both require viral replication. We propose that these structural alterations could represent the first manifestations of rotavirus-infected enterocyte injury leading to functional perturbations and then to diarrhea.

Rotavirus alters paracellular permeability and energy metabolism in Caco-2 cells

Rotaviruses infect epithelial cells of the small intestine, but the pathophysiology of the resulting severe diarrhea is incompletely understood. Histological damage to intestinal epithelium is not a consistent feature, and in vitro studies showed that intestinal cells did not undergo rapid death and lysis during viral replication. We show that rotavirus infection of Caco-2 cells caused disruption of tight junctions and loss of transepithelial resistance (TER) in the absence of cell death. TER declined from 300 to 22 Omega. cm(2) between 8 and 24 h after infection and was accompanied by increased transepithelial permeability to macromolecules of 478 and 4,000 Da. Distribution of tight junction proteins claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1 was significantly altered during infection. Claudin-1 redistribution was notably apparent at the onset of the decline in TER. Infection was associated with increased production of lactate, decreased mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and reduced cellular ATP (60% of control at 24 h after infection), conditions known to reduce the integrity of epithelial tight junctions. In conclusion, these data show that rotavirus infection of Caco-2 intestinal cells altered tight junction structure and function, which may be a response to metabolic dysfunction.

Role of Ca2+in the replication and pathogenesis of rotavirus and other viral infections

Ca2+ plays a key role in many pathological processes, including viral infections. Rotavirus, the major etiological agent of viral gastroenteritis in children and young animals, provides a useful model to study a number of Ca2+ dependent virus-cell interactions. Rotavirus entry, activation of transcription, morphogenesis, cell lysis, particle release, and the distant action of viral proteins are Ca2+ dependent processes. In the extracellular medium, Ca2+ stabilizes the structure of the viral capsid. During entry into the cell the low cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration induced the solubilization of the outer protein layer of the capsid and transcriptase activation. Viral protein synthesis modifies Ca2+ homeostasis which, in turn, favours viral morphogenesis and induces cell death. The generation of diarrhea is a multifactorial process involving Ca2+ dependent secretory processes of mediators and water and electrolytes, as well as the induction of cell death in the different cell types that compose the intestinal epithelium. The discovery of the non-structural viral protein NSP4 as a viral enterotoxin and the possible participation of the enteric nervous system in the pathogenesis of diarrhea represent significant advances in its understanding. Ca2+ also plays a role in the replication cycles and pathogenesis of other viral diseases such as poliovirus, Coxsackie virus, cytomegalovirus, vaccinia and measles virus and HIV.

Membrane-destabilizing activity of rotavirus NSP4 is mediated by a membrane-proximal amphipathic domain

Expression of the rotavirus non-structural glycoprotein NSP4 in E. coli leads to a decrease in optical density of the culture and release of [(3)H]uridine into the medium, effects attributable to the ability of NSP4 to perturb the bacterial membrane. To identify a domain of NSP4 responsible, different regions of the polypeptide were expressed in E. coli. Membrane destabilization is associated with a region of the protein located within residues 48-91, which includes a potential cationic amphipathic helix. A second region of NSP4 that contains a coiled-coil oligomerization domain and a sequence reported to function as a viral enterotoxin enhances the membrane-destabilizing activity of residues 48-91, but has no direct effect on the membrane stability. These studies suggest that the membrane-destabilizing and enterotoxic properties of NSP4 may be mediated by different regions of the polypeptide and suggest a possible basis for the cytotoxicity of NSP4 in mammalian cells.

Rotavirus infection induces an increase in intracellular calcium concentration in human intestinal epithelial cells: role in microvillar actin alteration

Rotaviruses, which infect mature enterocytes of the small intestine, are recognized as the most important cause of viral gastroenteritis in young children. We have previously reported that rotavirus infection induces microvillar F-actin disassembly in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells (N. Jourdan, J. P. Brunet, C. Sapin, A. Blais, J. Cotte-Laffitte, F. Forestier, A. M. Quero, G. Trugnan, and A. L. Servin, J. Virol. 72:7228-7236, 1998). In this study, to determine the mechanism responsible for rotavirus-induced F-actin alteration, we investigated the effect of infection on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in Caco-2 cells, since Ca(2+) is known to be a determinant factor for actin cytoskeleton regulation. As measured by quin2 fluorescence, viral replication induced a progressive increase in [Ca(2+)](i) from 7 h postinfection, which was shown to be necessary and sufficient for microvillar F-actin disassembly. During the first hours of infection, the increase in [Ca(2+)](i) was related only to an increase in Ca(2+) permeability of plasmalemma. At a late stage of infection, [Ca(2+)](i) elevation was due to both extracellular Ca(2+) influx and Ca(2+) release from the intracellular organelles, mainly the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We noted that at this time the [Ca(2+)](i) increase was partially related to a phospholipase C (PLC)-dependent mechanism, which probably explains the Ca(2+) release from the ER. We also demonstrated for the first time that viral proteins or peptides, released into culture supernatants of rotavirus-infected Caco-2 cells, induced a transient increase in [Ca(2+)](i) of uninfected Caco-2 cells, by a PLC-dependent efflux of Ca(2+) from the ER and by extracellular Ca(2+) influx. These supernatants induced a Ca(2+)-dependent microvillar F-actin alteration in uninfected Caco-2 cells, thus participating in rotavirus pathogenesis.

The authentic sequence of rotavirus SA11 nonstructural protein NSP4

Recent studies demonstrate that the rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP4 functions as an enterotoxin and plays an important role in viral pathogenesis. Previous in vitro studies of NSP4 have used a cDNA clone of gene 10 derived from the prototypic rotavirus strain, SA11. We recently compared the sequence of the commonly used NSP4 cDNA with the sequence obtained from several SA11 isolates by direct sequencing of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction products. One codon difference was identified between the cDNA clone and the SA11 virus isolates, and this resulted in a predicted amino acid substitution at position 47. The cDNA sequence specifies an asparagine at position 47, and the SA11 virus gene 10 encodes a hisitidine. To determine if this amino acid substitution altered the function of NSP4, we analyzed the ability of both NSP4-Asn47 and NSP4-His47 to regulate intracellular calcium levels and exhibit cell cytotoxicity. Our results indicate that the expression of NSP4-His47 from a recombinant baculovirus displays enhanced cytotoxicity and calcium flux.

Rotavirus infections: guidelines for treatment and prevention

The classification of rotaviruses as well as the pathogenesis and the diagnosis of rotavirus infections are briefly reviewed. Treatment of rotavirus disease consists mainly of oral or intravenous rehydration, using World Health Organization-recommended oral rehydration solutions or lactated Ringer's solutions, respectively. Specific antivirals have been tried in animal models but are not used for human treatment at present. The epidemiology of rotaviruses is complex as at any one time and in any geographical area different types co-circulate. The development of rotavirus candidate vaccines is reviewed, one of which, the tetravalent, rhesus rotavirus-based human reassortant vaccine, was licensed for universal use in the US in 1998. Its implementation requires careful surveillance of co-circulating rotavirus types (molecular epidemiology) as well as of any potential adverse effects not previously detected.

Membrane permeabilization by small hydrophobic nonstructural proteins of Japanese encephalitis virus

Infection with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, may cause acute encephalitis in humans and induce severe cytopathic effects in various types of cultured cells. We observed that JEV replication rendered infected baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells sensitive to the translational inhibitor hygromycin B or alpha-sarcine, to which mock-infected cells were insensitive. However, little is known about whether any JEV nonstructural (NS) proteins contribute to virus-induced changes in membrane permeability. Using an inducible Escherichia coli system, we investigated which parts of JEV NS1 to NS4 are capable of modifying membrane penetrability. We found that overexpression of NS2B-NS3, the JEV protease, permeabilized bacterial cells to hygromycin B whereas NS1 expression failed to do so. When expressed separately, NS2B alone, but not NS3, was sufficient to alter bacterial membrane permeability. Similarly, expression of NS4A or NS4B also rendered bacteria susceptible to hygromycin B inhibition. Examination of the effect of NS1 to NS4 expression on bacterial growth rate showed that NS2B exhibited the greatest inhibitory capability, followed by a modest repression from NS2A and NS4A, whereas NS1, NS3, and NS4B had only trivial influence with respect to the vector control. Furthermore, when cotransfected with a reporter gene luciferase or beta-galactosidase, transient expression of NS2A, NS2B, and NS4B markedly reduced the reporter activity in BHK-21 cells. Together, our results suggest that upon JEV infection, these four small hydrophobic NS proteins have various modification effects on host cell membrane permeability, thereby contributing in part to virus-induced cytopathic effects in infected cells.

Characterization of a membrane calcium pathway induced by rotavirus infection in cultured cells

Some viruses induce changes in membrane permeability during infection. We have shown previously that the porcine strain of rotavirus, OSU, induced an increase in the permeability to Na+, K+, and Ca2+ during replication in MA104 cells. In this work, we have characterized the divalent cation entry pathway by measuring intracellular Ca2+ in fura-2-loaded MA104 and HT29 cells in suspension. The permeability to Ca2+ and other cations was evaluated by the change of the intracellular concentration following an extracellular cation pulse. Rotavirus infection induced an increase in permeability to Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Mn2+, and Co2+. The rate of cation entry decreased over time as the intracellular concentration increased during the first 20 s. This indicates that regulatory mechanisms, including channel inactivation, are triggered. La3+ did not enter the cell and blocked the entry of the divalent cations in a dose-dependent manner. Metoxyverapamil (D600), a blocker of L-type voltage-gated channels, partially inhibited the entry of Ca2+ in virus-infected MA104 and HT29 cells. The results suggest that rotavirus infection of cultured cells activates a cation channel rather than nonspecific permeation through the plasma membrane. This activation involves the synthesis of viral proteins through mechanisms yet unknown. The increase in intracellular Ca2+ induced by the activation of this channel may be related to the increase in cytoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pools required for virus maturation and cell death.

BiP (GRP78) and endoplasmin (GRP94) are induced following rotavirus infection and bind transiently to an endoplasmic reticulum-localized virion component

Rotavirus infection induces profound alterations in the morphology and biochemistry of the host cell. Using two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis combined with metabolic labeling, we have identified four proteins that are specifically upregulated in rotavirus-infected cells. Two of these have been identified as BiP (GRP78) and endoplasmin (GRP94), members of a family of glucose-regulated chaperone proteins that reside in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, the site of rotavirus morphogenesis. The level of mRNA and the transcriptional activity of the BiP and endoplasmin genes are increased markedly in rotavirus-infected cells, and these genes are also induced when a single rotavirus protein, the nonstructural glycoprotein NSP4, is expressed in MA104 cells. However, NSP4 does not associate with either BiP or endoplasmin, implying that the mechanism of BiP and endoplasmin gene activation by NSP4 may differ from that triggered by viral membrane glycoproteins of other viruses. The interaction of BiP and endoplasmin with rotavirus structural polypeptides suggests that these chaperones are involved in the process of viral maturation in the ER lumen.

Rotavirus infection reduces sucrase-isomaltase expression in human intestinal epithelial cells by perturbing protein targeting and organization of microvillar cytoskeleton

Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe infantile gastroenteritis worldwide. These viruses infect mature enterocytes of the small intestine and cause structural and functional damage, including a reduction in disaccharidase activity. It was previously hypothesized that reduced disaccharidase activity resulted from the destruction of rotavirus-infected enterocytes at the villus tips. However, this pathophysiological model cannot explain situations in which low disaccharidase activity is observed when rotavirus-infected intestine exhibits few, if any, histopathologic changes. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the simian rotavirus strain RRV replicated in and was released from human enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells without cell destruction (N. Jourdan, M. Maurice, D. Delautier, A. M. Quero, A. L. Servin, and G. Trugnan, J. Virol. 71:8268-8278, 1997). In the present study, to reinvestigate disaccharidase expression during rotavirus infection, we studied sucrase-isomaltase (SI) in RRV-infected Caco-2 cells. We showed that SI activity and apical expression were specifically and selectively decreased by RRV infection without apparent cell destruction. Using pulse-chase experiments and cell surface biotinylation, we demonstrated that RRV infection did not affect SI biosynthesis, maturation, or stability but induced the blockade of SI transport to the brush border. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, we showed that RRV infection induces important alterations of the cytoskeleton that correlate with decreased SI apical surface expression. These results lead us to propose an alternate model to explain the pathophysiology associated with rotavirus infection.

Targeting of endoplasmic reticulum-associated proteins to axons and dendrites in rotavirus-infected neurons

To analyze sorting and compartmentalization of molecules in neuronal endomembranes, the distribution of endogenous proteins associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), intermediate compartment, the Golgi apparatus in cultures of dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and hippocampal neurons was compared with that of newly synthesized ER-associated rotavirus proteins. The endogenous ER-retained immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein, protein disulfide isomerase, and a peptide containing the KDEL amino acid sequence appeared in the soma and dendrites up to their first branching, but not in axons. However, two other endogenous ER-associated proteins, calreticulin and calnexin, occurred in axons as well as in the somatodendritic domains. The ER-associated rotavirus proteins, VP7 and NSP4, were widely distributed in cell bodies and dendrites. The former appeared also in axons and its localization partially overlapped with that of calreticulin and calnexin. One intermediate compartment protein, ER-Golgi-intermediate compartment-protein-53 (ERGIC-53), extended beyond the first division of the dendrites and did not, as the small guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein rab2, appear in axons. The location of rab2 to small vesicles was distinct from that of rotavirus VP7. Cis/medial Golgi cistern proteins were restricted to the cell bodies and proximal dendrites. This study emphasizes the marked heterogeneity in the targeting to axons and dendrites of proteins associated with ER and intermediate compartments. Therefore, the composition of axonal ER-retained molecules differs from that in the soma and this variation may reflect differences in functions between the ER compartments. Viral proteins are useful reporters for such heterogeneities and rotavirus VP7 may be a tool to reveal sorting signals for targeting of vesicular proteins to axons via a nonclassical Golgi-independent mechanism. Such signals may also determine viral targeting to different regions of the brain.

Mutations in rotavirus nonstructural glycoprotein NSP4 are associated with altered virus virulence

Rotaviruses are major pathogens causing life-threatening dehydrating gastroenteritis in children and animals. One of the nonstructural proteins, NSP4 (encoded by gene 10), is a transmembrane, endoplasmic reticulum-specific glycoprotein. Recently, our laboratory has shown that NSP4 causes diarrhea in 6- to 10-day-old mice by functioning as an enterotoxin. To confirm the role of NSP4 in rotavirus pathogenesis, we sequenced gene 10 from two pairs of virulent and attenuated porcine rotaviruses, the OSU and Gottfried strains. Comparisons of the NSP4 sequences from these two pairs of rotaviruses suggested that structural changes between amino acids (aa) 131 and 140 are important in pathogenesis. We next expressed the cloned gene 10 from the OSU virulent (OSU-v) and OSU attenuated (OSU-a) viruses by using the baculovirus expression system and compared the biological activities of the purified proteins. NSP4 from OSU-v virus increased intracellular calcium levels over 10-fold in intestinal cells when added exogenously and 6-fold in insect cells when expressed endogenously, whereas NSP4 from OSU-a virus had little effect. NSP4 from OSU-v caused diarrhea in 13 of 23 neonatal mice, while NSP4 from OSU-a caused disease in only 4 of 25 mice (P < 0.01). These results suggest that avirulence is associated with mutations in NSP4. Results from site-directed mutational analyses showed that mutated OSU-v NSP4 with deletion or substitutions in the region of aa 131 to 140 lost its ability to increase intracellular calcium levels and to induce diarrhea in neonatal mice, confirming the importance of amino acid changes from OSU-v NSP4 to OSU-a NSP4 in the alteration of virus virulence.

Carbohydrates facilitate correct disulfide bond formation and folding of rotavirus VP7

It is well established that glycosylation is essential for assembly of enveloped viruses, but no information is yet available as to the function of carbohydrates on the nonenveloped but glycosylated rotavirus. We show that tunicamycin and, more pronouncedly, a combination of tunicamycin and brefeldin A treatment caused misfolding of the luminal VP7 protein, leading to interdisulfide bond aggregation. While formation of VP7 aggregates could be prevented under reducing conditions, they reoccurred in less than 30 min after a shift to an oxidizing milieu. Furthermore, while glycosylated VP7 interacted during maturation with protein disulfide isomerase, nonglycosylated VP7 did not, suggesting that glycosylation is a prerequisite for protein disulfide isomerase interaction. While native NSP4, which does not possess S-S bonds, was not dependent on N-linked glycosylation or on protein disulfide isomerase assistance for maturation, nonglycosylated NSP4 was surprisingly found to interact with protein disulfide isomerase, further suggesting that protein disulfide isomerase can act both as an enzyme and as a chaperone. In conclusion, our data suggest that the major function of carbohydrates on VP7 is to facilitate correct disulfide bond formation and protein folding.

Assembly of viroplasm and virus-like particles of rotavirus by a Semliki Forest virus replicon

In this study we have used an expression system based on Semliki Forest virus (SFV) to study assembly and intracellular localization of certain capsid proteins of rotavirus in neurons and mammalian epithelial cells. The complete genes of vp2 (vp2A) and vp6 (vp6A) of group A rotavirus (SA-11) and gene 5 encoding vp6 (vp6C) of porcine group C rotavirus (strain Cowden/AmC-1) were inserted into an SFV expression replicon. Transfection of BHK-21 cells with in vitro-made SFV transcripts resulted in a high level of expression of the heterologous genes. Cotransfection with helper RNA encoding the SFV structural proteins, but lacking the genomic RNA packing signal, resulted in production of recombinant infectious virus. Immunological and biochemical analysis revealed that vp6 was expressed to high levels in primary neurons and mammalian epithelial cells and that vp6 was retained as an authentic homotrimer, stabilized by noncovalent interactions with native antigenic determinants. Thin section electron microscopy analysis revealed that vp6 alone assembled into viroplasm-like structures in the cytoplasm. While coexpression of vp2 and vp6 of group A rotavirus resulted in formation of single-shelled-like particles, no evidence of intracellular assembly was found, suggesting that other viral proteins are required for intracellular formation of single-shelled particles. A notable observation was that the vp6 proteins of group A and C rotaviruses showed different immunofluorescence patterns in BHK-21 cells; vp6C displayed an intense punctate immunofluorescence pattern, while vp6A was characterized by a pronounced filamentous staining in close vicinity to the cytoskeleton.

Viral factors determining rotavirus pathogenicity

The pathogenicity of rotaviruses depends on multiple viral and host factors. Evidence is presented for the involvement of a number of viral genes (coding for structural and non-structural proteins) in the ability of the virus to cause diarrhoea. Different genes are important in different rotavirus--host systems suggesting that there is no single viral pathogenicity factor.