Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Rotavirus spike structure and polypeptide composition.

I D Anthony1, S Bullivant, S Dayal

  • 1Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Journal of Virology
|August 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comedo-like Lesions on a verrucous epidermal nevus.

Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie·2024
Same author

Athena: Speciality Certificate Examination case for Paediatrics and Genetics.

Clinical and experimental dermatology·2021
Same author

Outcomes of multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma treatment with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

BJS open·2021
Same author

Clinical and surgical outcomes of patients with peritoneal mesothelioma discussed at a monthly national multidisciplinary team video-conference meeting.

BJS open·2020
Same author

Effect of recent seasonal influenza vaccination on serum antibody responses to candidate pandemic influenza A/H5N1 vaccines: A meta-analysis.

Vaccine·2019
Same author

Biologic therapy: a boon for hidradenitis suppurativa-like lesions complicating naevus comedonicus in a prepubertal child.

Clinical and experimental dermatology·2018
Same journal

Something old, something new? Herpesvirus genome packaging examined in light of lessons from the tailed bacteriophages.

Journal of virology·2026
Same journal

Receptor profiling and growth assessment of influenza A virus in porcine mammary and non-mammary tissues and derived cells.

Journal of virology·2026
Same journal

Live human metapneumovirus vaccine candidates attenuated by temperature sensitivity mutations from human respiratory syncytial virus.

Journal of virology·2026
Same journal

Structure and functional analyses of vaccinia virus J5 protein reveal distinct determinants for entry-fusion complex assembly and activation.

Journal of virology·2026
Same journal

Coronavirus membrane protein with a fluorescent protein tag enables particle tracking for the study of virus assembly and egress in live cells.

Journal of virology·2026
Same journal

Disruption of the S1/S2 multibasic cleavage site attenuates infectious bronchitis virus, while S2' partially restores viral virulence and expands tissue tropism.

Journal of virology·2026
See all related articles

Rotavirus spikes, composed of VP4, can be removed with ammonium hydroxide treatment, revealing smooth double-shelled particles. This process preserves the VP7 protein, crucial for viral neutralization.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Structural Biology
  • Microscopy

Background:

  • Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrheal disease in infants.
  • The virus possesses a complex structure with outer shell proteins playing critical roles in infectivity and immunity.
  • Understanding the arrangement and properties of these proteins is key to developing effective vaccines and antivirals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structure and composition of rotavirus surface projections (spikes).
  • To determine the effect of alkali treatment on rotavirus particle morphology and protein integrity.
  • To analyze the role of VP4 and VP7 proteins in rotavirus structure and antigenicity.

Main Methods:

  • Negatively stained transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with low electron dose.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Alkali treatment using ammonium hydroxide.
  • Protein analysis (electrophoresis) to identify viral components.
  • Immunological assays using monoclonal antibodies.

    • Main Results:

    • Low-dose electron microscopy revealed rotavirus surface spikes, with variable occupancy at peripentonal sites.
    • Treatment with 250 mM ammonium hydroxide at pH 11.2 effectively removed spikes, resulting in smooth particles.
    • Protein analysis confirmed spikes are VP4 (or VP5*/VP8*) and the smooth particle retains VP7.
    • Spikeless particles remained reactive to VP7-specific antibodies, indicating VP7 integrity.

    Conclusions:

    • Rotavirus spikes (VP4) can be selectively removed without damaging the underlying VP7 protein.
    • The VP7 protein retains its antigenic properties after spike removal, suggesting potential for targeted immune responses.
    • This study provides insights into rotavirus structural dynamics and the accessibility of VP7 for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.