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Assays for the Specific Growth Rate and Cell-binding Ability of Rotavirus
Published on: January 28, 2019
VP6-sequence-based cutoff values as a criterion for rotavirus species demarcation
Jelle Matthijnssens1, Peter H Otto, Max Ciarlet
1Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Belgium. jelle.matthijnssens@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
Archives of Virology
|March 21, 2012
Summary
Indirect immunofluorescence targeting rotavirus (RV) VP6 protein differentiates RV species. A novel species, ADRV-N, was tentatively classified as rotavirus species H (RVH) based on VP6 sequence analysis.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Rotavirus (RV) species are differentiated using indirect immunofluorescence assays targeting the VP6 protein.
- The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) currently recognizes RV species A-G.
- A novel rotavirus strain, ADRV-N, has been identified, necessitating its classification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the species classification of the novel rotavirus strain ADRV-N.
- To refine the differentiation criteria for rotavirus species based on VP6 protein sequences.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of over 400 available VP6 sequences and seven new VP6 sequences from RVD strains.
- Construction of phylogenetic trees and pairwise identity frequency graphs.
- Amino acid sequence analysis to establish differentiation cutoffs.
Main Results:
- All recognized rotavirus species formed distinct phylogenetic clusters.
- A 53% amino acid sequence identity cutoff effectively differentiated rotavirus species.
- ADRV-N was phylogenetically distinct and tentatively assigned to a new species, rotavirus H (RVH).
Conclusions:
- VP6 sequence analysis provides robust differentiation of rotavirus species.
- The novel ADRV-N strain represents a new rotavirus species, RVH.
- The established VP6 amino acid sequence cutoff aids in rotavirus species identification.
