A Linear Surface Epitope in a Proline-Rich Region of ORF3 Product of Genotype 1 Hepatitis E Virus

Yonglin Yang; Shaoli Lin; Yuchen Nan; Zexu Ma; Liping Yang; Yanjin Zhang

doi:10.3390/v8080227

A Linear Surface Epitope in a Proline-Rich Region of ORF3 Product of Genotype 1 Hepatitis E Virus

Viruses. 2016 Aug 18;8(8):227. doi: 10.3390/v8080227.

Authors

Yonglin Yang^{1

2}, Shaoli Lin³, Yuchen Nan^{4

5}, Zexu Ma⁶, Liping Yang⁷, Yanjin Zhang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Molecular Virology Laboratory, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. easing@163.com.
² Nanjing Red Cross Blood Center, Nanjing 210003, Jiangsu, China. easing@163.com.
³ Molecular Virology Laboratory, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. lsl1990@umd.edu.
⁴ Molecular Virology Laboratory, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. nanyuchen2015@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
⁵ College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xi'an 712100, Shaanxi, China. nanyuchen2015@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
⁶ Molecular Virology Laboratory, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. zexuma@umd.edu.
⁷ Molecular Virology Laboratory, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. ylp521@umd.edu.
⁸ Molecular Virology Laboratory, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. zhangyj@umd.edu.

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the viral pathogens causing hepatitis in humans. HEV open reading frame 3 (ORF3) encodes a small multifunctional protein (VP13), which is essential for HEV infection. In this study, a linear epitope was identified in a polyproline (PXXP) motif from VP13 of genotype 1 HEV by using a monoclonal antibody. The epitope was detected in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays. Epitope mapping showed that the epitope locates in a proline-rich region containing a PXXP motif in amino acid residues 66-75 of VP13. The epitope was also detected in HEV-infected liver cells and reacted with genotype 1-specific antibodies in an HEV-positive human serum sample. The results demonstrated that the epitope in the PXXP motif of the genotype 1 VP13 is linear and surface-oriented, which should facilitate in-depth studies on the viral protein and HEV biology.

Keywords: HEV; ORF3; PXXP motif; VP13; hepatitis E virus; linear epitope; monoclonal antibody.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
Antibodies, Viral / immunology
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Epitope Mapping*
Epitopes / immunology*
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Genotype
Hepatitis E virus / classification
Hepatitis E virus / genetics
Hepatitis E virus / immunology*
Humans
Immunoblotting
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Viral Proteins / immunology*

Substances

Antibodies, Monoclonal
Antibodies, Viral
Epitopes
ORF3 protein, Hepatitis E virus
Viral Proteins