Isolation and characterization of a novel type of rotavirus species A in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps)

Abstract

To estimate the risk of interspecies transmission of rotavirus species A (RVA) from exotic pets to other mammalian species, the prevalence of RVA in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) was investigated. RVAs were detected in 10 of 44 sugar gliders by reverse transcription (RT)-seminested PCR. These viruses were classified as G27P [3] and G27P[36] genotypes, with G27 and P[36] being new genotypes as assigned by the Rotavirus Classification Working Group. To characterize sugar glider RVA in detail, one strain, RVA/SugarGlider-tc/JPN/SG385/2012/ G27P[36] (SG385-tc), was isolated. All of the genes of the strain were classified as new genotypes (G27-P[36]-I19-R10-C10-M9-A20-N11-T13-E17-H12). The enterotoxin domain in NSP4, which is important for the induction of diarrhoea, was conserved between SG385-tc and previously reported mammalian strains, suggesting the potential of sugar glider RVA to cause diarrhoea in mammalian species. In fact, seven out of nine suckling mice inoculated orally with 3.9610 4 f.f.u. of strain SG385-tc had diarrhoea and the 50 % diarrhoea-inducing dose (DD 50 )of strain SG385-tc in suckling mice was 1.2610 4 f.f.u. Our findings suggest that sugar glider RVA is infective to and possibly pathogenic in other mammalian species.

Histo-blood group antigens as divergent factors of groups A and C rotaviruses circulating in humans and different animal species

“…P [28] is the only genotype characterised in this study in the RVA P[I] genogroup that infects humans exclusively. Glycan array analyses showed that the P [28] VP8* recognised the H type 1 HBGA precursors (Figure 2), a property very similar to that of the P [6] and P [19] human strains in RVA P[II] genogroup, explaining why P [28] also causes sporadic cases in humans similar to that of P [19] and P [6] [14].…”

“…The [3], and P [7] that are known as sialic aciddependent RVs, infecting monkeys, dogs, bovine, porcine, horses and occasionally humans, as well as sialic acid-independent RVs that infect a wide ranges of animal species, including bovine, porcine, equine, monkey, lamps, murine, rabbits and humans. P[36] infects sugar glider [19], while P[37] infects pheasant [17,18].…”

“…The saliva binding assays of many animal RVs performed in this study also provide further information on the host ranges and species barrier between humans and many animal RV genotypes in the early stages of RV evolution. For example, the P[I] P [28] RVAs recognised only a small subset (5 of 81, 6%) of human saliva samples, explaining why P [28] RVs only cause sporadic cases in humans because they recognise the H type 1 HBGA precursors similar to that of the P[II] P [6] and P [19] RVAs only cause sporadic cases in young children [14,15]. Similarly, the other seven animal RVA and RVC genotypes are also at an early stage of RV evolution recognising less advanced HBGAs compared with the P[II] P [4] and P [8] RVs recognising much matured HBGAs containing the major ABH and Lewis determinants ( Figure 5), explaining why these animal RV genotypes mainly infect different animal species and only occasionally infect humans.…”

“…Future studies to verify these binding signals responsible for RV infection and replication are necessary. [4], P [6], P [8] and P [19]) that mainly infect humans has been deduced originating from an animal RV ancestor in P[I] genogroup that mainly infects different animals. P [19] represents an early stage as an intermediate jumping from animals to humans via recognising shared structures of the type 1 HBGA precursors commonly seen in humans and the mucin cores commonly seen in animals.…”

“…Expression and purification of VP8* proteins in E. Coli. The VP8* sequences (amino acids 46-231) from different RVAs and RVCs(EDIM: AF039219, EMcN: AY267006, WC3: GU565077, P [5]:GQ496266, P [7]: QAY29504.1, P [9]: AB077766,P [10]:EU791922, P [14]: GQ398013, P [15]:JQ013506,P [19]: DQ887060, P [23]: QAY29526.1, P [25]: GU199495,P [28]: EU805773.1, P [30]:EU486960) were expressed in E. coli BL21 and purified by GST-tag affinity purification, as described previously [9].…”