Abstract
After the introduction of two global rotavirus vaccines, RotaTeq in 2007 and Rotarix in 2008 in South Korea, G1[P8] rotavirus was the major rotavirus genotype in the country until 2012. However, in this study, an emergence of G2P[4] as the dominant genotype during the 2013 to 2015 season has been reported. Genetic analysis revealed that these viruses had typical DS-1-like genotype constellation and showed evidence of re-assortment in one or more genome segments, including the incorporation of NSP4 genes from strains B-47/2008 from a cow and R4/Haryana/2007 from a buffalo in India, and the VP1 and VP3 genes from strain GO34/1999 from a goat in Bangladesh. Compared to the G2 RotaTeq vaccine strain, 17–24 amino acid changes, specifically A87T, D96N, S213D, and S242N substitutions in G2 epitopes, were observed. These results suggest that multiple interspecies re-assortment events might have contributed to the emergence of G2P[4] rotaviruses in the post-vaccination era in South Korea.
Highlights
Full genome analyses of human RVA strains have revealed that most human rotaviruses are classifiable into at least two major genogroups, i.e., the Wa genogroup with a Wa-like backbone G1-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 genotype constellation, or the DS-1 genogroup with a DS-1-like backbone G2-P[4]-I2-R2-C2M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 genotype constellation
Since none of the currently licensed RVA vaccines contain the P[4] genotype, it is important to monitor the prevalence of the G2P[4] genotype in the human population and understand the genetic constellations of P[4] RVA strains and their relationship with the more prevalent P[8] or P[6] genotyped RVA strains
The prevalence of rotavirus genotypes varies depending on the socio-economic status of the population under study, climates of different countries, and histo-blood group antigen types in different individuals and populations around the globe20,21
Summary
Full genome analyses of human RVA strains have revealed that most human rotaviruses are classifiable into at least two major genogroups, i.e., the Wa genogroup with a Wa-like backbone G1 (or 3, 4, 9)-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 genotype constellation, or the DS-1 genogroup with a DS-1-like backbone G2-P[4]-I2-R2-C2M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 genotype constellation. The recently detected G2 RVAs that carry hallmark nonsynonymous changes within the antigenic domain of VP7 have become prevalent. The recently detected G2 RVAs that carry hallmark nonsynonymous changes within the antigenic domain of VP7 have become prevalent16 The accumulation of these VP7 mutations may have improved the fitness of G2 viruses by allowing neutralisation escape, thereby explaining the increased incidence of G2P[4]-associated disease. Because of the current dominance of G2P[4] rotaviruses in Korea, a large-scale whole-genome study of these rotavirus strains would provide significant information about the evolution of RVAs, which is highly relevant to vaccine design and implementation; to our knowledge, there is no G2P[4] strain in Korea, whose whole genome has been sequenced. The data obtained in the study were compared with that of rotavirus strains from other parts of the world
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