title: Molecular characterization of the NSP4 gene of human group A rotavirus samples from the West Central region of Brazil.
abstract: Nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4), encoded by group A rotavirus genome segment 10, is a multifunctional protein and the first recognized virus-encoded enterotoxin. The NSP4 gene has been sequenced, and five distinct genetic groups have been described: genotypes A-E. NSP4 genotypes A, B, and C have been detected in humans. In this study, the NSP4-encoding gene of human rotavirus strains of different G and P genotypes collected from children between 1987 and 2003 in three cities of West Central region of Brazil was characterized. NSP4 gene of 153 rotavirus-positive fecal samples was amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and then sequenced. For phylogenetic analysis, NSP4 nucleotide sequences of these samples were compared to nucleotide sequences of reference strains available in GenBank. Two distinct NSP4 genotypes could be identified: 141 (92.2%) sequences clustered with NSP4 genotype B, and 12 sequences (7.8%) clustered with NSP4 genotype A. These results reinforce that further investigations are needed to assess the validity of NSP4 as a suitable target for epidemiologic surveillance of rotavirus infections and vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Brasil.
authors.forename: Talissa de Moraes
authors.initials: Tde M
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Wilia Marta Elsner Diederichsen de
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Fabíola Souza
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Fiaccadori
authors.forename: Erika Regina Leal de
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Juliana Alves
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Parente
authors.forename: Paulo Sérgio Sucasas da
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Loreny Gimenes
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Giugliano
authors.forename: Márcia Sueli Assis
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Andreasi
authors.forename: Célia Maria Almeida
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Divina das Dôres de Paula
authors.initials: Dd
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; C081369:NS28 protein, rotavirus; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins