High-resolution cryo-EM structures of outbreak strain human norovirus shells reveal size variations

Abstract

Noroviruses are a leading cause of food-borne illnesses worldwide. Although GII.4 strains have been responsible for most norovirus outbreaks, the assembled virus shell structures have been available in detail for only a single strain (GI.1). We present high-resolution (2.6-4.1 [A]) cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of GII.4, GII.2, GI.7 and GI.1 human norovirus outbreak strain virus-like particles (VLPs). Although norovirus VLPs have been thought to exist in a single-sized assembly, our structures reveal polymorphism between and within genogroups with small, medium and large particle sizes observed. We developed a new asymmetric reconstruction method and resolved a metal ion adjacent to the co-receptor binding site, which affected the structural stability of the shell. Our structures serve as valuable templates for facilitating vaccine formulations.