CLONING SEQUENCING AND EXPRESSION OF THE GENE ENCODING THE VP2 PROTEIN OF THE HUMAN GROUP-B ROTAVIRUS, ADRV

Adult diarrheal rotavirus, ADRV, is a noncultivable human group a rota virus. A complete cDNA copy of ADRV gene segment 2 has been cloned and sequenced. Gene segment 2 contains 2844 bases and encodes one long op en reading frame beginning at base 14 and terminating at base 2812. Ge ne 2 encodes a protein containing 933 amino acids with a calculated mo lecular weight of 105.6 kDa and a pi of 5.5. The gene 2 polypeptide co ntains significant homology with the VP2 protein which comprises the c ore of group A rotavirus strains. The gene 2 protein has been expresse d in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate in vitro and is identical in molecul ar mass with a protein previously demonstrated to be present on iodina ted EDTA-treated virions and from in vitro translations of total ADRV mRNA. A recombinant baculovirus containing gene segment 2 has been con structed and used to express the encoded VP2 equivalent protein. The e xpressed VP2 protein is immunoprecipitable by hyperimmune anti-ADRV se rum, porcine group B infection serum, and human convalescent serum but not by hyperimmune serum to group A rotavirus. Our results suggest th at ADRV gene segment 2 encodes the VP2 protein equivalent to group A r otavirus strains present in the core of the group B virion. (C) 1994 A cademic Press, Inc.