New P serotype of group A human rotavirus closely related to that of a porcine rotavirus

The VP7 and VP4 genes of two human group A rotavirus strains Mc323 and Mc345 with unique serologic and genomic properties, and isolated in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 1989 [Urasawa et al. (1992) Journal of Infectious Diseases 166:227-234] were further characterized. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the VP7 genes allowed the classification of both strains as serotype G9. The VP4 genes of both strains are 2,359 nucleotides in length and encode a protein of 775 amino acids like in most human rotaviruses. A comparison of the VP4 amino acid sequence of strain Mc323 with those of strain Mc345 and 24 human and animal rotaviruses representing 20 distinct VP4 genotypes reported to date showed that VP4 of Mc323 and Mc345 belong to genotype 19 previously reported for porcine rotavirus [Burke et al. (1994) Journal of General Virology 75:2205-2212]. To investigate the serological type (P serotype) of these VP4s, six reassortant viruses each containing a distinct VP4 gene characteristic of human rotaviruses and the VP7 gene of porcine rotavirus strain Gottfried (G4) were prepared, and antisera to these reassortants produced in rabbits. In neutralization tests, the P serotype of Mc323 was clearly differentiated from the five major P serotypes reported previously for human rotaviruses, suggesting that Mc323 and Mc345 represent a new human rotavirus P serotype tentatively called P11.