Genetic Characterisation of South African and Mozambican Bovine Rotaviruses Reveals a Typical Bovine-like Artiodactyl Constellation Derived through Multiple Reassortment Events
Amy Strydom,
Celeste M. Donato,
Martin M. Nyaga,
Simone S. Boene,
Ina Peenze,
Milton T. Mogotsi,
Eva D. João,
Benilde Munlela,
A. Christiaan Potgieter,
Mapaseka L. Seheri,
Nilsa de Deus,
Hester G. O’Neill
Affiliations
Amy Strydom
Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Celeste M. Donato
Enteric Diseases Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3010, Australia
Martin M. Nyaga
Next Generation Sequencing Unit, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Simone S. Boene
Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Distrito de Marracuene 1120, Mozambique
Ina Peenze
Diarrhoeal Pathogens Research Unit, Department of Virology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Milton T. Mogotsi
Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Eva D. João
Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Distrito de Marracuene 1120, Mozambique
Benilde Munlela
Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Distrito de Marracuene 1120, Mozambique
A. Christiaan Potgieter
Biochemistry, Focus Area Human Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
Mapaseka L. Seheri
Diarrhoeal Pathogens Research Unit, Department of Virology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Nilsa de Deus
Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Distrito de Marracuene 1120, Mozambique
Hester G. O’Neill
Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
This study presents whole genomes of seven bovine rotavirus strains from South Africa and Mozambique. Double-stranded RNA, extracted from stool samples without prior adaptation to cell culture, was used to synthesise cDNA using a self-annealing anchor primer ligated to dsRNA and random hexamers. The cDNA was subsequently sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq platform without prior genome amplification. All strains exhibited bovine-like artiodactyl genome constellations (G10/G6-P[11]/P[5]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3/A11/A13-N2-T6-E2-H3). Phylogenetic analysis revealed relatively homogenous strains, which were mostly related to other South African animal strains or to each other. It appears that these study strains represent a specific bovine rotavirus population endemic to Southern Africa that was derived through multiple reassortment events. While one Mozambican strain, MPT307, was similar to the South African strains, the second strain, MPT93, was divergent from the other study strains, exhibiting evidence of interspecies transmission of the VP1 and NSP2 genes. The data presented in this study not only contribute to the knowledge of circulating African bovine rotavirus strains, but also emphasise the need for expanded surveillance of animal rotaviruses in African countries in order to improve our understanding of rotavirus strain diversity.
