title: Genetic heterogeneity and recombination in type-3 human astroviruses.
abstract: Human astroviruses (HAstVs) are important enteric pathogens and can be classified genetically and antigenically into eight types. During molecular surveillance for HAstVs in Italy, sequence analysis of the diagnostic region C (about 400 nucleotide in length), located on the capsid (ORF2) gene, identified a novel type-3 strain. Upon sequencing of the full-length ORF2, the type-3 HAstV strain was characterized as a novel ORF2 genetic lineage, designated as 3c. By converse, in the ORF1b the virus was more similar to type-1 HAstVs, rather than to type-3 strains, suggesting a recombination nature, with the crossover site being mapped to the ORF1b/ORF2 junction region. Region C sequences of similar type-3 HAstV identified from European and extra-European countries were retrieved in the databases, suggesting the global distribution of this novel type-3 lineage.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. Electronic address: mariacristina.medici@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Medici
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tummolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martella
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Krisztián
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banyai
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University Aldo Moro of Bari, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonerba
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chezzi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Arcangeletti
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Conto
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderaro
mesh_terms: D019350:Astroviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D001257:Mamastrovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
keywords: Astrovirus; Genotyping; Italy; Recombination; Viral gastroenteritis