Open AccessGenetic Characterization of Fusion Protein of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Beijing
Author(s) -
Qi Lü,
Chunxia Zhao,
Kunling Shen,
Wenbo Xu,
Zhang Yan,
Jialin Yu,
Xin Yang
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
infection international/infection international (electronic edition)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2544-0349
pISSN - 2095-2244
DOI - 10.1515/ii-2017-0011
Subject(s) - virology , genetic diversity , phylogenetic tree , biology , sequence analysis , genotype , nucleic acid sequence , virus , gene , genetic variation , genetic analysis , peptide sequence , genetics , medicine , population , environmental health
Objective Fusion protein is a subunit of the human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and a potential vaccine candidate. Thus, a study on the genetic characteristics of F protein was considered important for further investigations in this field. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of the F gene of HRSV infections in hospitalized pediatric patients in Beijing with acute lower respiratory tract infections and to compare the circulating genotypes that are currently found worldwide. Methods HRSV particles were amplified by RT-PCR and the PCR products were purified for sequencing. Further analysis was carried out by Bioedit and MEGA 3.0 biological software programs. Results Seventy-six samples (23.1%) were positive for HRSV. The percentage of cases in patients younger than 1 year was 84.21%. Among the six Beijing isolates, four belonged to subgroup A, whose respective F genes shared 97.0%-97.4% nucleotide sequence identity and 92.1%-93.0% amino acid sequence identity. The other two isolates belonged to subgroup B. Here, 97.3% and 98.2% sequence identity were found at nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. Conclusions Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences revealed that those four isolates within subgroup A were monophyletic and closely related to each other, but those two within subgroup B distributed in two distinct clusters. Subgroup A and B strains co-circulated, indicating that two different transmission chains occurred in Beijing from 2003-2004.