The capsid protein of a French isolate of the European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) was expressed in the baculovirus system. The recombinant EBHSV (rEBHSV) capsid protein was able to self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs). The VLPs were indistinguishable from the infectious EBHSV and displayed morphological characteristics similar to those we have described for the VLPs resulting from the expression of the capsid protein of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), a closely related calicivirus. Cross-protection experiments showed that vaccination with rEBHSV particles did not protect rabbits against an RHDV challenge. A set of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was raised against rEBHSV capsid protein and used together with anti-RHDV and anti-EBHSV MAbs produced against native viruses to study the antigenic relationships between the two calici- viruses. All six anti-EBHSV MAbs delineated discontinuous epitopes; two of them reacted with specific surface epitopes and the remaining four reacted with internal epitopes which were also present in rRHDV. All anti-RHDV MAbs were monospecific; three reacted with surface linear epitope(s), two reacted with internal linear epitope(s) and one with a surface conformational epitope. On the basis of all these results, a classification of RHDV and EBHSV as two serotypes of a single serogroup is proposed.
AponteC., MattionN. M., EstesM. K., CharpilienneA., CohenJ.1993; Expression of two bovine rotavirus non-structural proteins (NSP2, NSP3) in the baculovirus system and production of monoclonal antibodies directed against the expressed proteins. Archives of Virology 133:85–95
BogaJ. A., MarinM. S., CasaisR., PrietoM., ParraF.1992; In vitro translation of a subgenomic mRNA from purified virions of the Spanish field isolate AST/89 of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Virus Research 26:33–40
CapucciL., SciclunaM. T., LavazzaA.1991; Diagnosis of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease of rabbits and European Brown Hare Syndrome. Revue Scientifique et Technique O.I.E 10:347–370
CapucciL., FrigoliG., RonsholdL., LavazzaA., BrocchiE., RossiC.1995; Antigenicity of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus studied by its reactivity with monoclonal antibodies. Virus Research 37:221–238
CarterM. J., MiltonI. D., MeangerJ., BennettM., GaskellR. M., TurnerP. C.1992; The complete nucleotide sequence of a feline calicivirus. Virology 190:443–448
ChaseyD., LucasM., WestcottD., WilliamsM.1992; European brown hare syndrome in the U.K.; a calicivirus related to but distinct from that of viral haemorrhagic disease in rabbits. Archives of Virology 124:363–370
DingleK. E., LambdenP. R., CaulE. O., ClarkeI. N.1995; Human enteric Caliciviridae: the complete genome sequence and expression of virus-like particles from a genetic group II small round structured virus. Journal of General Virology 76: 2349–2355
FuchsA., WeissenböckH.1992; Comparative histopathological study of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) and European Brown Hare Syndrome (EBHS). Journal of Comparative Pathology 107:103–113
Gavier-WidenD., MornerT.1991; Epidemiology and diagnosis of the European Brown Hare Syndrome in Scandinavian countries : a review. Revue Scientifique et Technique O.I.E 10:453–458
GrayJ. J., CunlifeC., BallJ., GrahamD. Y., DesselbergerU., EstesM. K.1994; Detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgA, and IgG Norwalk specific antibodies by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with baculovirus-expressed Norwalk virus capsid antigen in adult volunteers challenged with Norwalk virus. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 32:3059–3063
GreenK. Y., LewJ. F., JiangX., KapikianA. Z., EstesM. K.1993; Comparison of the reactivities of baculovirus-expressed recombinant Norwalk virus capsid antigen with those of the native Norwalk virus antigen in serologic assays and some epidemiologic observations. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 31:2185–2191
KapiklianA. Z., EstesM. K., ChanockR. M.1996; Norwalk group of viruses. In Fields Virology, 3rd edn. pp. 783–810FieldsB. N., KnipeD. M. Edited by Philadelphia: Lipincott-Raven;
LabbeM., CharpilienneA., CrawfordS. E., EstesM. K., CohenJ.1991; Expression of rotavirus VP2 produces empty corelike particles. Journal of Virology 65:2946–2952
LaurentS., VautherotJ.-F., MadelaineM.-F., Le GallG., RasschaertD.1994; Recombinant rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus capsid protein expressed in baculovirus self-assembles into virus-like particles and induces protection. Journal of Virology 68:6794–6798
Le GallG., HuguetS., VendeP., VautherotJ.-F., RasschaertD.1996; European brown hare syndrome virus: molecular cloning and sequencing of the genome. Journal of General Virology 77:1693–1697
MeyersG., WirblichC., ThielH. J.1991a; Genomic and subgenomic RNAs of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus are both protein- linked and packaged into particles. Virology 184:677–686
MiltonI. D., TurnerJ., TeelanA., GaskellR., TurnerP. C., CarterM. J.1992; Location of monoclonal antibody binding sites in the capsid protein of feline calicivirus. Journal of General Virology 73:2435–2439
MonroeS. S., StineS. E., JiangX., EstesM. K., GlassR. I.1993; Detection of antibody to recombinant Norwalk virus antigen in specimens from outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 31:2866–28 72
NageshaH. S., WangL. F., HyattA. D., MorrissyC. J., LenghausC., WestburyH. A.1995; Self-assembly, antigenicity, and immuno- genicity of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (Czechoslovakian strain V-351) capsid protein expressed in baculovirus. Archives of Virology 140:1095–1108
NeillJ. D.1992; Nucleotide sequence of the capsid protein gene of two serotypes of San Miguel sea lion virus: identification of conserved and non-conserved amino acid sequences among calicivirus capsid proteins. Virus Research 24:211–222
ParraF., PrietoM.1990; Purification and characterization of a calicivirus as the causative agent of a lethal hemorrhagic disease in rabbits. Journal of Virology 64:4013–4015
RasschaertD., HuguetS., MadelaineM.-F., VautherotJ.-F.1995; Sequence and genomic organization of a rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus isolated from a wild rabbit. Virus Genes 9:121–132
SappM., VolpersC., MüllerM., StreeckR. E.1995; Organization of the major and minor capsid proteins in human papillomavirus type 33 virus-like particles. Journal of General Virology 76: 2407–2412
SealB. S., Lutze-WallaceC., KreutzL. C., SappT., DulacG. C., NeillJ. D.1995; Isolation of caliciviruses from skunks that are antigenically and genotypically related to San Miguel sea lion virus. Virus Research 37:1–12
SibiliaM., BoniottiM. B., AngosciniP., CapucciL., RossiC.1995; Two independent pathways of expression lead to self-assembly of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus capsid protein. Journal of Virology 69:5812–5815
ThouveninE., LaurentS., MadelaineM.-F., RasschaertD., VautherotJ.-F., HewatE. A.1997; Bivalent binding of a neutralising antibody to a calicivirus involves the tortional flexibility of the antibody hinge. Journal of Molecular Biology in press
WirblichC., MeyersG., OhlingerV. F., CapucciL., EskensU., HaasB., ThielH. J.1994; European brown hare syndrome virus: relationship to rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus and other caliciviruses. Journal of Virology 68:5164–5173
WirblichC., ThielH. J., MeyersG.1996; Genetic map of the calicivirus rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus as deduced from in vitro translation studies. Journal of Virology 70:7974–7983