Detection of genomic differences between the avian reovirus isolate S1133 and its high-passage derivative P100

Previous studies have shown that the S1133 and P100 strains of avian reovirus are identical by electropherotype analysis of their genomic RNA despite demonstrating differences in their protein composition. By using the more sensitive technique of liquid nucleic acid hybridization for comparing the genomes of these two viruses, differences among several homologous RNA genome segments have been detected. The implication of the use of these techniques for characterization and analysis of recently introduced and mutant strains of reoviruses is discussed.