Rotavirus spike protein VP4 binds to and remodels actin bundles of the epithelial brush border into actin bodies

We demonstrate here that VP4, a rotaviral protein, is able to specifically bind to bundled actin microfilaments that are subsequently profoundly remodeled into actin bodies. These cytoplasmic actin bodies do not localize within identified intracellular compartments. VP4-induced actin remodeling is similar to cytochalasin D effects with kinetics compatible with that of rotavirus infection. Actin bundles' remodeling occurs both in infected and in VP4-transfected cells and in various cell lines, indicating that this is a general property of the viral protein itself. Interestingly, in intestinal epithelial cells, which represent the natural target of rotavirus, VP4 is addressed to the apical membrane where it binds specifically to brush border actin bundles and elicits its remodeling, whereas cytochalasin D impaired all the filamentous actin. These observations indicate that these original properties of VP4 likely explain the previously described brush border alterations that follow rotavirus infection of enterocytes and may also participate to the mechanism of rotavirus final assembly.