Characterization of the F Gene of Contemporary Mumps Virus Strains Isolated in Japan

Abstract

Mumps virus (MuV) strains isolated in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, from 1997 to 2001, were examined by analyzing the SH and the F gene nucleotide sequences. The results of the SH gene analysis showed that only genotype G was found in 2001 as well as in 2000, and that genotype J, which we proposed as a new genotype in a previous study, was from a different lineage than the genotype J described by Tecle et al. (J. Gen. Virol. 82, 2675–2680). We therefore, propose to rename the genotype as K to avoid confusion. Then, the F gene of genotypes G, H, and K strains were analyzed together with previously reported strains in this study. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the F gene nucleotide sequences showed that these strains formed a cluster as described by the SH gene analysis. Alignment of the F amino acid sequences showed that the F protein was well conserved among strains of different genotypes with a few amino acid differences. These results provide better information for the characterization of contemporary MuV strains in Japan.

Genetic characterization of RS‐12 (S‐12), an Iranian isolate of mumps virus, by sequence analysis and comparative genomics of F, SH, and HN genes

“…These results revealed that the amino acid sequence of the mumps F protein was the most conserved gene of the MuV; this is because of the critical function of this protein that makes it an intolerable mutation site for viral survival. Other reports with similar conclusions have recently been published [Kashiwagi et al, 1999;Tecle et al, 2000;Uchida et al, 2003].…”

“…Variation in the signal sequence (amino acids 1-19) and transmembrane region (amino acids 487-507) of F protein was observed as previously reported [Tecle et al, 2000;Uchida et al, 2003;Ivancic et al, 2004]. Despite the high degree of divergence in predicted amino acid sequences of the signal peptide and transmembrane regions among different strains, the other predicted structural and functional motifs of fusion protein of MuV were remarkably similar.…”

“…Several amino acid substitutions have been observed previously in different strains of the MuV which could be genotype-specific, some of which have been described previously [Tecle et al, 2000;Ö rvell et al, 2002;Amexis et al, 2003;Uchida et al, 2003;Š antak et al, 2006;Kulkarni-Kale et al, 2007]. Table III summarized these substitutions in the A, B, D, H, I, and J genotypes.…”

Real-time PCR for mumps diagnosis on clinical specimens—Comparison with results of conventional methods of virus detection and nested PCR

“…The SH-PCR product covers the entire length of the SH gene, known to be the most variable region of the mumps genome. The F gene, the target of the real-time PCR, appears to be the most conserved (Uchida et al, 2003). While mumps virus is considered genetically relatively stable, a PCR targeting the most conserved region is less likely to loose sensitivity due to strain variation.…”

Mumps virus strains isolated in Croatia in 1998 and 2005: Genotyping and putative antigenic relatedness to vaccine strains

“…Genotype G has been identified for the first time by Jin et al [2000]. Since then mumps virus isolates belonging to this genotype appeared in United Kingdom [Jin et al, 2000[Jin et al, , 2004 and Japan [Uchida et al, 2001[Uchida et al, , 2003Inou et al, 2004]. A closer inspection on the relationship with mumps virus isolates submitted to the GenBank revealed extremely high similarity with wild-type mumps virus strains originated in United Kingdom in the period 1997-2002: Wrek1/UK97 (99%), Dud1-2/UK98, Kent4/UK97, UK02-304, UK00-47x4, UK0046x7, UK00322x2 and UK99-162x3 (98% for all) (Fig.…”