title: Initial interaction of rotavirus strains with N-acetylneuraminic (sialic) acid residues on the cell surface correlates with VP4 genotype, not species of origin.
abstract: We examined 41 human and animal rotavirus strains representative of all known P genotypes for their dependency on cellular N-acetylneuraminic (sialic) acid (SA) residues for infectivity. Our results showed that all rotaviruses studied, whether of animal or human origin, belonging to P genotypes [1], [2], [3], and [7] depended on SA residues on the cell surface for efficient infectivity but that all human and animal rotavirus strains representative of the remaining known P genotypes were SA independent. The SA residue requirement for efficient infectivity did not change for reassortant rotavirus strains with altered VP4-VP7 combinations. The initial interaction of rotavirus strains with SA residues on the cell surface correlated with VP4 genotype specificity, not with species of origin or VP7 G serotype specificity (P = 0.001; r2 = 1.00, Pearson's correlation coefficient). In addition to being a requirement for infectivity, the presence of SA residues on the cell surface is a requirement for efficient growth in cell culture; recognition of the association of specific P genotypes with the binding of rotavirus to SA residues will facilitate our understanding of the molecular basis of the early events of rotavirus-cell interactions in cell culture models and of pathogenicity in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. mciarlet@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciarlet
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ludert
authors.forename: Miren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iturriza-Gómara
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liprandi
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Desselberger
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Estes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002213:Capsid / Q000235:genetics*; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology*; D012703:Serotyping; D013045:Species Specificity; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid