Molecular characterization of the VP4, VP7 and NSP4 genes of the Korean lapine rotavirus

Rotaviruses are double-stranded RNA viruses of the family Reoviridae, a highly diverse family of pathogens of humans and animals. In this study, we identified the lapine rotavirus from diarrheic feces of rabbits by polymerase chain reaction. In order to determine the genetic characteristics of the Korean strain, the sequences of the VP4, VP7, and NSP4 genes were determined and compared with those of reference sequences. Results of sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that our strain was a G3P [3] rotavirus carrying the group C gene encoding NSP 4 proteins. This is the first report of an outbreak and molecular characterization of lapine rotavirus in Korea.