- Hu, Liya;
- Sankaran, Banumathi;
- Laucirica, Daniel R;
- Patil, Ketki;
- Salmen, Wilhelm;
- Ferreon, Allan Chris M;
- Tsoi, Phoebe S;
- Lasanajak, Yi;
- Smith, David F;
- Ramani, Sasirekha;
- Atmar, Robert L;
- Estes, Mary K;
- Ferreon, Josephine C;
- Prasad, BV Venkataram
Rotaviruses (RVs) cause life-threatening diarrhea in infants and children worldwide. Recent biochemical and epidemiological studies underscore the importance of histo-blood group antigens (HBGA) as both cell attachment and susceptibility factors for the globally dominant P[4], P[6], and P[8] genotypes of human RVs. How these genotypes interact with HBGA is not known. Here, our crystal structures of P[4] and a neonate-specific P[6] VP8*s alone and in complex with H-type I HBGA reveal a unique glycan binding site that is conserved in the globally dominant genotypes and allows for the binding of ABH HBGAs, consistent with their prevalence. Remarkably, the VP8* of P[6] RVs isolated from neonates displays subtle structural changes in this binding site that may restrict its ability to bind branched glycans. This provides a structural basis for the age-restricted tropism of some P[6] RVs as developmentally regulated unbranched glycans are more abundant in the neonatal gut.