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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, December 2003, p. 5665-5675, Vol. 41, No. 12
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.12.5665-5675.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Analysis of the VP7, VP4, VP6, NSP4, and NSP5/6 Genes of a Buffalo Rotavirus Strain: Identification of the Rare P[3] Rhesus Rotavirus-Like VP4 Gene Allele

Department of Animal Health and Wellbeing, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bari, Bari, Italy,¹ Bioprocess and Bioanalytical Research, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, New York,² Department of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy,³ Department of Medical Genetics, I.R.C.C.S. "Saverio De Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Italy,⁴ Institute "Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Puglia e Basilicata," Sezione di Foggia, Italy⁵

Received 23 May 2003/ Returned for modification 5 August 2003/ Accepted 10 September 2003

We report the detection and molecular characterization of a rotavirus strain, 10733, isolated from the feces of a buffalo calf affected with diarrhea in Italy. Strain 10733 was classified as a P[3] rotavirus, as the VP8* trypsin cleavage product of the VP4 protein revealed a high amino acid identity (96.2%) with that of rhesus rotavirus strain RRV (P5B[3]), used as the recipient virus in the human-simian reassortant vaccine. Analysis of the VP7 gene product revealed that strain 10733 possessed G6 serotype specificity, a type common in ruminants, with an amino acid identity to G6 rotavirus strains ranging from 88 to 98%, to Venezuelan bovine strain BRV033, and Hungarian human strain Hun4. Phylogenetic analysis based on the VP7 gene of G6 rotaviruses identified at least four lineages and an apparent linkage between each lineage and the VP4 specificity, suggesting the occurrence of repeated interspecies transmissions and genetic reassortment events between ruminant and human rotaviruses. Moreover, strain 10733 displayed a bovine-like NSP4 and NSP5/6 and a subgroup I VP6 specificity, as well as a long electropherotype pattern. The detection of the rare P[3] genotype in ruminants provides additional evidence for the wide genetic and antigenic diversity of group A rotaviruses.