Porcine OSU rotavirus segment II sequence shows common features with the viral gene of human origin.

A cDNA library of porcine rotavirus OJSU strain was constructed from total genomic dsRNA in pUC 19, Overlapping clones corresponding to segment 11 were isolated and sequenced by the dideoxy chain termination method using dsDNA template( 1) The gene is 664 base pairs in length and codes for a potential polypeptide of 197 amino acids. Comparison of the segment 11 coding region of porcine OSU with the corresponding region of other rotavirus strains, such as human Wa (2), bovine UK (3) and simian SAIl (4) showed a 89%. 88% and 91%t amino acid homology. respectively When compared to the coding region of the rearranged genell of the porcLne strain C60 (5 ) we found a 97% identity at the amino acid level Segment 11 coding region of both porcine strains, C6t1 and OSU. as well as of human Wa strain have a characteristic histidine deletion (nucleotides 442-444) with respect to the UK and SAlI genes resulting in a protein product one amino acid shorter than in the other cases. Furthermore. both OSU and Wa gene 11 coding regions have an additional putative N-glycosylation site at amino acid 117 besides the one present at residue 20