The rotavirus genome

Cell-line-induced mutation of the rotavirus genome alters expression of an IRF3-interacting protein

Rotavirus, a cause of severe gastroenteritis, contains a segmented double-stranded (ds)RNA genome that replicates using viral mRNAs as templates. The highly conserved 3'-consensus sequence (3'CS), UGUGACC, of the mRNAs promotes dsRNA synthesis and enhances translation. We have found that the 3'CS of the gene (g5) encoding NSP1, an antagonist of interferon signaling, undergoes rapid mutation when rhesus rotavirus (RRV) is serially passaged at high multiplicity of infection (MOI) in cells permitting high titer growth. These mutations increase the promoter activity of the g5 3'-sequence, but decrease its activity as a translation enhancer. The location of the mutations defines the minimal essential promoter for dsRNA synthesis as URN0-5CC. Under passage conditions where cell-to-cell spread of the virus is required to complete infection (low MOI), the 3'CS is retained due to the need for NSP1 to be expressed at levels sufficient to prevent establishment of the antiviral state. These data demonstrate that host cell type and propagation conditions affect the capacity of RRV to produce the virulence gene product NSP1, an important consideration in producing RRV-based vaccines.

Fine mapping of sequential neutralization epitopes on the subunit protein VP8 of human rotavirus

The epitopes of the HRV (human rotavirus), especially those involved in virus neutralization, have not been determined in their entirety, and would have significant implications for HRV vaccine development. In the present study, we report on the epitope mapping and identification of sequential neutralization epitopes, on the Wa strain HRV subunit protein VP8, using synthetic overlapping peptides. Polyclonal antibodies against recombinant Wa VP8 were produced previously in chicken, and purified from egg yolk, which showed neutralizing activity against HRV in vitro. Overlapping VP8 peptide fragments were synthesized and probed with the anti-VP8 antibodies, revealing five sequential epitopes on VP8. Further analysis suggested that three of the five epitopes detected, M1-L10, I55-D66 and L223-P234, were involved in virus neutralization, indicating that sequential epitopes may also be important for the HRV neutralization. The interactions of the antibodies with the five epitopes were characterized by an examination of the critical amino acids involved in antibody binding. Epitopes comprised primarily of hydrophobic amino acid residues, followed by polar and charged residues. The more critical amino acids appeared to be located near the centre of the epitopes, with proline, isoleucine, serine, glutamine and arginine playing an important role in the binding of antibody to the VP8 epitopes.

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.

Segmented structure of separate and transposable DNA and RNA elements as suggested by their size distributions

A collection of about 1000 different eukaryotic and prokaryotic DNA mobile and separate elements is compiled from literature-transposons, plasmids, extrachromosomal circular DNA, insertion sequences, as well as viral genomes and separate genome segments. Only small elements are collected, upto 2000 base pairs. Analysis of the sequence length distributions of the elements reveals that certain sizes are clearly preferred, namely those which correspond to multiples of about 345 bp in eukaryotes and multiples of about 210 bp in prokaryotes. This provides additional evidence in support of the theory (1) that segmented structure is characteristic of not only protein-coding sequences (2) but rather of genomes in general. In particular, it confirms the prediction (1) that mobile and separate elements would also be segmented.