Carbohydrate recognition by rotaviruses

Specificity and affinity of neuraminic acid exhibited by canine rotavirus strain K9 carbohydrate-binding domain (VP8*)

The outer capsid spike protein VP4 of rotaviruses is a major determinant of infectivity and serotype specificity. Proteolytic cleavage of VP4 into 2 domains, VP8* and VP5*, enhances rotaviral infectivity. Interactions between the VP4 carbohydrate-binding domain (VP8*) and cell surface glycoconjugates facilitate initial virus-cell attachment and subsequent cell entry. Our saturation transfer difference nuclear magnetic resonance (STD NMR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) studies demonstrated that VP8*_64-224 of canine rotavirus strain K9 interacts with N-acetylneuraminic and N-glycolylneuraminic acid derivatives, exhibiting comparable binding epitopes to VP8* from other neuraminidase-sensitive animal rotaviruses from pigs (CRW-8), cattle (bovine Nebraska calf diarrhoea virus, NCDV), and Rhesus monkeys (Simian rhesus rotavirus, RRV). Importantly, evidence was obtained for a preference by K9 rotavirus for the N-glycolyl- over the N-acetylneuraminic acid derivative. This indicates that a VP4 serotype 5A rotavirus (such as K9) can exhibit a neuraminic acid receptor preference that differs from that of a serotype 5B rotavirus (such as RRV) and the receptor preference of rotaviruses can vary within a particular VP4 genotype.