Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

07:02
Quantifying Human Norovirus Virus-like Particles Binding to Commensal Bacteria Using Flow Cytometry
Published on: April 29, 2020
Structural basis for the receptor binding specificity of Norwalk virus
Weiming Bu1, Aygun Mamedova, Ming Tan
1Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Journal of Virology
|April 4, 2008
Summary
Noroviruses bind to host histo-blood group antigens. Structural analysis reveals distinct binding mechanisms between Norwalk virus (GI-1) and VA387 (GII-4) strains, explaining differences in antigen recognition.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Structural Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Noroviruses are major causes of acute gastroenteritis in humans.
- Norovirus attachment to host cells relies on specific interactions with histo-blood group antigens.
- Different norovirus strains exhibit distinct patterns of histo-blood group antigen recognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the structural basis for differential ligand recognition in noroviruses.
- To compare the binding modes of the prototypic Norwalk virus (NV; GI-1) and VA387 (GII-4) to A antigen.
- To investigate the role of specific amino acid residues in NV P domain-antigen interactions.
Main Methods:
- X-ray crystallography of the Norwalk virus (NV) P domain with and without A trisaccharide.
- Cocrystallization of the NV P domain with A trisaccharide at 2.3-Å resolution.
- Mutational analysis of key residues in the NV P domain for antigen binding.
Main Results:
- The A trisaccharide binds to the NV P domain via interactions with Ser377, Asp327, His329, and Ser380.
- This binding mode is distinct from that observed in the VA387 P-domain-A-trisaccharide complex.
- The alpha-GalNAc residue of A trisaccharide is deeply buried in the NV binding pocket, unlike the alpha-fucose in VA387 complexes.
Conclusions:
- The structural differences in the P domain binding pockets explain the distinct histo-blood group antigen recognition profiles of NV and VA387.
- The NV binding mode for A trisaccharide is sterically incompatible with the VA387 P domain structure.
- Specific residues in the NV P domain are critical for binding to native A antigen.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibitors Of Virion Release
Viral replication and dissemination rely on efficient mechanisms for host cell entry, genome replication, assembly, and release. Influenza viruses, such as types A and B, are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses with a segmented genome, that depend on two critical surface glycoproteins to carry out these processes: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). HA initiates infection by binding to sialic acid residues on the surface of host epithelial cells, facilitating receptor-mediated...
Viral Structure
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
Coronavirus
Coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), are enveloped viruses characterized by their single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome and helical nucleocapsid structure. The hallmark of these viruses is their club-shaped spike (S) glycoproteins that protrude from the viral envelope, facilitating attachment to host cells. Typically, coronaviruses infect the upper respiratory tract, often causing mild or asymptomatic disease. However, certain strains like...
Leaky Scanning
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R stands for...

