title: Identification and characterization of a native epitope common to norovirus strains GII/4, GII/7 and GII/8.
abstract: Norovirus is an important cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. The norovirus genus is comprised of at least five genogroups based on sequence differences. The norovirus genogroup II (GII/4) strain is recognized as the predominant genotype worldwide. We expressed a 60 kDa full-length recombinant capsid protein of norovirus GII/4 in Escherichia coli and generated three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against it. Western blotting indicated that all three MAbs had reactivity against the recombinant capsid protein and a 58 kDa native capsid protein of norovirus obtained from stool samples. MAb-capture ELISA showed that MAb detected segmental strains within GII antigens in clinical material. To identify the existent range of this epitope, epitope analyses were processed by expressing 12 amino acids of the GST-fusion peptides. The epitope analyses revealed that the MAb N2C3 recognized a continuous native epitope (55)WIRNNF(60) in the shell domain, which not only belongs to strain GII/4, but also to strains GII/7 and GII/8. This is a new native epitope to be reported for norovirus GII/4.
authors.affiliation: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510301, China. xiao_2005@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Youshao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Xingui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hongling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins