Relationship among serotype G3P5A rotavirus strains isolated from different host species

The relationship among G3P5A rotavirus strains was analysed by restriction endonuclease assay of the VP4, VP6 and VP7 encoding genes, neutralization a ssay and phylogenetic analysis. The restriction patterns of the capsid enco ding genes were species specific allowing the differentiation among the str ains of different origin. The VP7 profiles differentiated human from animal strains more efficiently. The phylogenetic analysis of the VP4 gene demons trated that HCR3A and K9 are closer related to each other than to other P5A strains. The same occurs to strains Ro1845 and Cat 97. The CU-1 virus appe ars to be an ancestor of the P5A strains by neutralization and phylogenetic analysis. The results placed the RRV strain definitely in a separate VP4 s erotype and genotype from that of P5A strains. Restriction endonuclease ass ay of the capsid encoding genes seems to be a useful tool to identify the h ost species of rotavirus strains belonging to the same serotype and/or geno type. (C) 1998 Academic Press.