[Genetic characterization of norovirus isolated in an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Jiangsu province].

Objective

To analyze the genetic characterization of norovirus isolated in an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Jiangsu province.

Methods

Extracted viral RNA from the swab samples of cases of acute gastroenteritis outbreak in Jiangsu province on December 16-27, 2016 was reversely transcribed to cDNA, and partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase sequence and complete capsid sequence (VP1) were amplified by RT-PCR. Amplification products were sequenced for the analysis of genetic characteristics.

Results

Based on sequence alignment, the variant shared a high level of identity with the strain GⅡ.g isolated in Spain and Finland (98.7%) in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase region, and with the strain GⅡ.1 isolated in American (99.4%) in the VP1. The recombination was determined by using software Simplot, and the breakpoint of recombination was located in the ORF1/2 overlap region at position 5 106 of VP1. The result of amino acids alignment in capsid region showed that there were no mutations in the amino acids of the predicted epitopes and receptor binding site Ⅰ-Ⅲ, but a unique amino acid change was detected at position 132 (N-S).

Conclusion

The norovirus isolated in the outbreak of gastroenteritis in Jiangsu province was a rare recombinant norovirus variant GⅡ.g-GⅡ.1.