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Researchers identify the role of a key enzyme in rotavirus and norovirus infection, the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis
- Marketing and Communication Service
- Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit
- December 19th, 2025
Norovirus particles captured by transmission electron microscopy. The bar indicates 100 nm.
A research team led by professor Jesús Rodríguez from the University of Valencia (Department of Microbiology) has identified the decisive role of fucosidases – enzymes present both in the human intestine and in the gut microbiota – in infection by rotavirus and norovirus. These two viruses are the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and, although mortality has declined in recent decades (from 2.6 million deaths in 2000 to 1.5 million in 2019), they remain a major cause of death among children and immunocompromised individuals.
The study, published in npj Viruses (of the Nature group), seeks to unravel the complexities of the replication of these enteric viruses and demonstrates that the activity of these enzymes can either promote or hinder viral infection, depending on the biological context. The research was conducted in collaboration with KU Leuven (Belgium) and the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA) of the CSIC, and combines approaches from virology, glycobiology, gut microbiota research and animal models.
Notably, both viruses share a dependence on fucose, a sugar molecule found on the surface of host cells. In human cell models, the removal of fucose by a bacterial fucosidase (AfcA) – an enzyme that cleaves fucose residues from complex human glycans – significantly reduces infection by decreasing the availability of viral binding receptors. In contrast, in animal models, the same intervention increases viral replication, probably because defucosylation of the intestinal mucus reduces its ability to trap and retain viral particles.
The study also shows that global inhibition of fucosidases using 1-deoxyfuconojirimycin (DFJ) drastically reduces the replication of both viruses, indicating that these enzymes – including host-derived enzymes such as FUCA1 – play an essential role in the infection cycle.
The findings suggest that fucosidase activity represents a previously unrecognised mechanism involved in enteric virus infection, and that its modulation could become an innovative therapeutic target to reduce the transmission and severity of rotavirus and norovirus infections. “By limiting the enzymatic activity required for viral life cycles, viral proliferation could be slowed down and, consequently, the severity of infection alleviated”, explains Jesús Rodríguez.
“The results point to complex interactions between intestinal viruses and the bacterial microbiota, which can influence the intensity of viral infection. Regulating fucosidase activity could therefore become an innovative therapeutic strategy to reduce the incidence of these infections”, add CSIC researchers María Jesús Yebra and Vicente Monedero, who also participated in the study.
Article reference: Peña-Gil, N., Santos-Ferreira, N., Llanos-Villatoro, S. et al. Fucose dependent rotavirus and norovirus require fucosidase activity for optimal replication. npj Viruses 3, 80 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44298-025-00164-3
Categories: Recerca, innovació i transferència , Internacionalització recerca , Microbiologia i Ecologia , Cultura Científica , Grups de recerca , Difusió i comunicació científica , Investigació a la UV
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