VP4_ROTB2
Domain
Outer capsid protein VP4
The VP4 spike is divided into a foot, a stalk and body, and a head.
Function
Outer capsid protein VP4
Spike-forming protein that mediates virion attachment to the host epithelial cell receptors and plays a major role in cell penetration, determination of host range restriction and virulence. Rotavirus attachment and entry into the host cell probably involves multiple sequential contacts between the outer capsid proteins VP4 and VP7, and the cell receptors. It is subsequently lost, together with VP7, following virus entry into the host cell. Following entry into the host cell, low intracellular or intravesicular Ca(2+) concentration probably causes the calcium-stabilized VP7 trimers to dissociate from the virion. This step is probably necessary for the membrane-disrupting entry step and the release of VP4, which is locked onto the virion by VP7.
Outer capsid protein VP5*
Forms the spike 'foot' and 'body' and acts as a membrane permeabilization protein that mediates release of viral particles from endosomal compartments into the cytoplasm. During entry, the part of VP5* that protrudes from the virus folds back on itself and reorganizes from a local dimer to a trimer. This reorganization may be linked to membrane penetration.
Outer capsid protein VP8*
Forms the head of the spikes and mediates the recognition of specific host cell surface glycans. It is the viral hemagglutinin and an important target of neutralizing antibodies.
Post-translational modifications
Outer capsid protein VP4
Proteolytic cleavage by trypsin results in activation of VP4 functions and greatly increases infectivity. The penetration into the host cell is dependent on trypsin treatment of VP4. It produces two peptides, VP5* and VP8* that remain associated with the virion. Cleavage of VP4 by trypsin probably occurs in vivo in the lumen of the intestine prior to infection of enterocytes. Trypsin seems to be incorporated into the three-layered viral particles but remains inactive as long as the viral outer capsid is intact and would only be activated upon the solubilization of the latter.
Sequence Similarities
Belongs to the rotavirus VP4 family.
Cellular localization
- Outer capsid protein VP4
- Virion
- Host rough endoplasmic reticulum
- Host cell membrane
- Host endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment
- The outer layer contains 180 copies of VP4, grouped as 60 dimers. Immature double-layered particles assembled in the cytoplasm bud across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum, acquiring during this process a transient lipid membrane that is modified with the ER resident viral glycoproteins NSP4 and VP7; these enveloped particles also contain VP4. As the particles move towards the interior of the ER cisternae, the transient lipid membrane and the non-structural protein NSP4 are lost, while the virus surface proteins VP4 and VP7 rearrange to form the outermost virus protein layer, yielding mature infectious triple-layered particles.
Alternative names
Outer capsid protein VP4, Hemagglutinin