MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE 11TH RNA SEGMENT FROM HUMAN GROUP-C-ROTAVIRUS

The complete nucleotide sequence of genome segment 11 from the noncultivatable, human group C rotavirus (Bristol strain) was determined. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of the segment termini with the consensus 5' and 3' terminal noncoding sequences of the human group C rotavirus genome revealed characteristic 5' and 3' sequences. Human group C rotavirus genome segment II is 613 bp long and encodes a single open reading frame of 450 nucleotides (150 amino acids) starting at nucleotide 39 and terminating at nucleotide 489, leaving a long 3' untranslated region of 124 nucleotides. The predicted translation product has a calculated molecular weight of 17.7 kD and contains four potential N-linked glycosylation sites. No significant homologies to other viral proteins were found in database searches. Hydropathy analysis predicted the human group C rotavirus genome segment 11 translation product has a hydrophilic carboxy terminus (amino acids 54-150) and a hydrophobic amino terminus (amino acids 1-53) that can be further subdivided into three short hydrophobic sequences-H1, H2, and H3. These features are analogous to the integral membrane glycoprotein NSP4 encoded by group A rotavirus gene 10.