Phylogenetic analysis of human rhinovirus capsid protein VP1 and 2A protease coding sequences confirms shared genus-like relationships with human enteroviruses

Phylogenetic analysis of the capsid protein VP1 coding sequences of all 101 human rhinovirus (HRV) prototype strains revealed two major genetic clusters, similar to that of the previously reported VP4/VP2 coding sequences, representing the established two species, Human rhinovirus A (HRV-A) and Human rhinovirus B (HRV-B). Pairwise nucleotide identities varied from 61 to 98% within and from 46 to 55% between the two HRV species. Interserotypic sequence identities in both HRV species were more variable than those within any Human enterovirus (HEV) species in the same family. This means that unequivocal serotype identification by VP1 sequence analysis used for HEV strains may not always be possible for HRV isolates. On the other hand, a comprehensive insight into the relationships between VP1 and partial 2A sequences of HRV and HEV revealed a genus-like situation. Distribution of pairwise nucleotide identity values between these genera varied from 41 to 54% in the VP1 coding region, similar to those between heterologous members of the two HRV species. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed more fully conserved amino acid residues between HRV-B and polioviruses than between the two HRV species. In phylogenetic trees, where all HRVs and representatives from all HEV species were included, the two HRV species did not cluster together but behaved like members of the same genus as the HEVs. In conclusion, from a phylogenetic point of view, there are no good reasons to keep these two human picornavirus genera taxonomically separated.