Identification of a porcine calicivirus related genetically to human sapoviruses

J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Jun;46(6):1907-13. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00341-08. Epub 2008 Apr 16.

Abstract

Whether animals may act as reservoirs for human caliciviruses is unclear. By sequence analysis of a short fragment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) region, porcine sapovirus (SaV) strains that genetically resemble human SaVs have been detected in piglets, but more-informative sequences (capsid gene) were not available for a precise characterization. In this study, the 3' terminus (the 3' end of open reading frame 1 [ORF1], including the polymerase complex and the complete capsid; ORF2; and the 3' untranslated region) of one such human SaV-like strain, 43/06-18p3/2006/It, was determined, revealing that these viruses are more related genetically to human (47.4 to 54.9% amino acid identity) than to animal (35.2 to 44.7% amino acid identity) SaVs in the capsid gene. In addition, the recombination-prone RdRp-capsid junction region was highly conserved with those of human SaVs of genogroup GI. The presence of porcine viruses similar to human SaVs is a significant finding because of the potential for zoonotic infections or generation of porcine/human recombinants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Caliciviridae / classification*
  • Caliciviridae / genetics*
  • Caliciviridae / isolation & purification
  • Caliciviridae Infections / veterinary
  • Caliciviridae Infections / virology*
  • Capsid / chemistry
  • Feces / virology
  • Gastroenteritis / veterinary
  • Gastroenteritis / virology
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • RNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / chemistry
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / genetics
  • Sapovirus / classification*
  • Sapovirus / genetics*
  • Sapovirus / isolation & purification
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Swine / virology*
  • Swine Diseases / virology*

Substances

  • RNA, Viral
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AY144337
  • GENBANK/AY615810
  • GENBANK/AY615811