SEQUENCE-ANALYSIS OF 3 NONSTRUCTURAL PROTEINS OF A PORCINE GROUP-C (COWDEN STRAIN) ROTAVIRUS

Sequences of three gene products of a group C (Cowden strain) rotaviru s are presented and compared with the sequences of the corresponding g roup A (SA 11) proteins. The degree of similarity for gene 7, 9, and 1 0 is respectively 34%, 58%, and 45%. Comparison of these 2 viruses all owed to identify several regions well conserved. In the protein coded by Cowden segment 7 (NS 53) only a short cystein and histidine rich re gion, presenting the zinc finger consensus motif, is common to group A (segment 5) and group C sequences. Conversely the protein coded by se gment 9 (NS 35) presented marked homology with group A NS 35. The prot ein coded by segment 10 (NS 26) is serine rich and presents an accumul ation of charged residues near the carboxy terminus, like group A coun terpart. This genomic segment presented a single large open reading fr ame, that contrasts with the group A counterpart for which a second ou t of phase ORF is used in rotavirus infected MA 104 cells.