Characteristics of Australian human enteric coronavirus-like particles: comparison with human respiratory coronavirus 229E and duodenal brush border vesicles.

The polypeptide profiles of highly purified coronavirus-like particles (CVLPs) proved to be very different from that of human respiratory coronavirus 229E and showed the particles not to be coronaviruses. Differences in polypeptide profiles and morphology between the CVLPs and duodenal brush border vesicles suggested that the CVLPs were also not such vesicles. Although they shared some basic overall similarity, the polypeptide profiles of three different but possibly antigenically identical CVLP preparations from Central Australian Aborigines were very dissimilar in detail. At least 38, 39 and 48 bands respectively were observed on the three profiles. At least 46 bands were visible on the polypeptide profile of CVLPs from a Vietnamese immigrant to Australia, and it also differed in detail from those of the Central Australian CVLPs. Indications of antigenic difference were obtained between Central Australian CVLPs and CVLPs from India, Kiribati, South Africa and Vietnamese immigrants to Australia. Antigenic difference was also suggested between the Central Australian CVLPs and those from one distant location within Australia, but antigenic similarity with those from another was indicated.