Abstract
BACKGROUND: Rotaviruses (RVs) are a major cause of acute children gastroenteritis. The rotavirus P [10] belongs to P[I] genogroup of group A rotaviruses that mainly infect animals, while the rotavirus P [10] was mainly identified from human infection. The rotavirus P [10] is an unusual genotype and the recognition pattern of cellular receptors remains unclear. METHODS: We expressed and purified the RV P [10] VP8* protein and investigated the saliva and oligosaccharide binding profiles of the protein. A homology model of the P [10] VP8* core protein was built and the superimposition structural analysis of P [10] VP8* protein on P [19] VP8* in complex with mucin core 2 was performed to explore the possible docking structural basis of P [10] VP8* and mucin cores. RESULTS: Our data showed that rotavirus P [10] VP8* protein bound to all ABO secretor and non-secretor saliva. The rotavirus P [10] could bind strongly to mucin core 2 and weakly to mucin core 4. The homology modeling indicated that RV P [10] VP8* binds to mucin core 2 using a potential glycan binding site that is the same to P [19] VP8* belonging to P[II] genogroup. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested an interaction of rotavirus P [10] VP8* protein with mucin core 2 and mucin core 4. These findings offer potential for elucidating the mechanism of RV A host specificity, evolution and epidemiology.