The first complete genome sequence and genetic evolution analysis of bovine norovirus in Xinjiang, China
Published Online: Mar 23, 2024
Page range: 1 - 8
Received: Feb 13, 2023
Accepted: Jan 25, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2024-0005
Keywords
© 2024 Zhigang Ma et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Introduction
Viruses are among the main pathogens causing diarrhoea in calves. The current study found that bovine norovirus (BNoV) is one of the principal viruses causing diarrhoea in calves in Xinjiang, China.
Material and Methods
A total of 974 calf faecal samples from six regions in Xinjiang were tested for BNoV using reverse-transcriptase PCR. The genomic characteristics of BNoV and the genetic evolution of the VP1 gene, protein three-dimensional structure characteristics and amino acid variation were analysed using bioinformatics methods.
Results
Epidemiological survey results showed that the infection rate of BNoV was 19.82%, and all samples tested positive in five regions. The results of the genetic evolution analysis showed that BNoV strains from Tacheng of northern Xinjiang and Kashgar of southern Xinjiang both belonged to the GIII.2 genotype of BNoV but were not on the same cluster of evolutionary branches. Additionally, the amino acid variation of the VP1 protein was not observed to significantly affect its spatial structure.
Conclusion
This study is the first to report the genetic characteristics of the BNoV complete genome sequence in Xinjiang and provides a scientific basis for BNoV vaccine development and pathogenesis research.