Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the carbohydrate-recognizing domain (VP8*) of bovine rotavirus strain NCDV.

The infectivity of rotavirus is dramatically enhanced by proteolytic cleavage of its outer layer VP4 spike protein into two functional domains, VP8* and VP5*. The carbohydrate-recognizing domain VP8* is proposed to bind sialic acid-containing host cell-surface glycans and this is followed by a series of subsequent virus-cell interactions. Live attenuated human and bovine rotavirus vaccine candidates for the prevention of gastroenteritis have been derived from bovine rotavirus strain NCDV. The NCDV VP8*(64-224) was overexpressed, purified to homogeneity and crystallized in the presence of an N-acetylneuraminic acid derivative. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.0 A and the crystallographic structure of NCDV VP8*(64-224) was determined by molecular replacement.