Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression
Dissertation (MSc (Medical Virology))--University of Pretoria, 2015.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613522731466752 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Taylor, Maureen B. |
| author_browse | Taylor, Maureen B. |
| author_facet | Taylor, Maureen B. |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Dissertation (MSc (Medical Virology))--University of Pretoria, 2015. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110156 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:37:29.594Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110156 Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression Taylor, Maureen B. u12356949@tuks.co.za Mans, Janet Botha, Johannes Christiaan Norovirus South Africa Complete genome Noroviryus recombinant Dissertation (MSc (Medical Virology))--University of Pretoria, 2015. Noroviruses (NoVs), first known as Norwalk or Norwalk-like viruses, have been confirmed as the cause of 18% of all gastroenteritis worldwide. Noroviruses are epidemic prone and have been identified as the leading cause of epidemic gastroenteritis in all age groups, implicated in more than 95% of non-bacterial and about 50% of allcause epidemic gastroenteritis worldwide. In the United States of America (USA) NoVs are thought to be the second highest cause of mortality due to gastroenteritis, and the elderly (>65 years of age) are most prone to develop fatal illness. Norovirus has a major economic burden, annually causing between 19 and 21 million acute infections, with up to 71 000 hospitalisations and 800 deaths in the USA alone. Norovirus GII.4 causes more infections than any other genotype, and has multiple variants. Some variants cause worldwide epidemics whereas others only cause localised epidemics. Virus-like particles (VLPs) of NoVs have been used in virus-host interaction studies, iii Summary which have identified antigenic epitopes. These studies have also indicated an affinity of NoVs for histo-blood group antigens. There are multiple VLP based NoV vaccines in various stages of development. Surveillance of NoVs in South Africa (SA) has only been done in the past few years. During this time however numerous NoV genotypes and recombinants have been detected, but no complete genome analysis of NoV has been performed in SA. The aim of this study was therefore to characterise NoV GII.4 variants detected in SA by genome analysis and to express VLPs of different GII.4 variants. The complete genome of 11 strains was successfully amplified in overlapping segments, and the nucleotide sequences were determined. Nucleotide sequences covering the capsid proteins could be determined for five additional strains. The online NoV typing tool could not characterise all of the strains. Nucleotide identity, phylogenetic and recombination analyses were used to characterise the SA NoV GII.4 variants. Eight of the 11 strains were confirmed as recombinants and the parental strains could be identified. Amino acid variation at the antigenic epitopes and histo-blood group antigens-associated sites were analysed and highly variable sites were identified. The variable domain of the NoV major capsid protein, containing these sites was modelled for all 16 strains. Variation in the 3-D models could be linked back to variation at amino acid level. The VLPs of five strains could be expressed and the major capsid proteins were observed on SDS-PAGE analysis. The ~30 nm VLPs could be observed by transmission electron microscopy. Medical Virology MSc (Medical Virology) 2026-05-15T17:26:29Z 2026-05-15T17:26:29Z 15/07/13 2015 Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110156 en application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Norovirus South Africa Complete genome Noroviryus recombinant Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression |
| title | Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression |
| title_full | Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression |
| title_fullStr | Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression |
| title_short | Characterisation of South African norovirus GII.4 variants by genome analysis and virus-like particle expression |
| title_sort | characterisation of south african norovirus gii 4 variants by genome analysis and virus like particle expression |
| topic | Norovirus South Africa Complete genome Noroviryus recombinant |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110156 |