Genetic variability of the S1 subunit of enteric and respiratory bovine coronavirus isolates

Abstract

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is considered an important pathogen in cattle worldwide. It is a causative agent of enteric and respiratory diseases of cattle. The S1 subunit of the viral S glycoprotein is responsible for virus binding to host-cell receptors, induction of neutralizing antibody and hemagglutinin activity. The entire S1 genomic region (2304 bp) of two enteric bovine coronavirus isolates from Austria, one respiratory and one enteric isolate from Slovakia were analyzed at the genetic level. The comparative analysis of those four isolates revealed 97.1-98.6% similarity at the nucleotide and 95.6-98.6% at the amino acid level. No differences between enteric and respiratory isolates were observed at the genetic level. The isolates were clustered in the phylogenetic tree with European isolates independently of their enteric or respiratory origin.

Global Transmission, Spatial Segregation, and Recombination Determine the Long-Term Evolution and Epidemiology of Bovine Coronaviruses

“…It is so far unknown whether a unique or distinct BCoV are responsible for respiratory and enteric infections [18,23,25,76]. As recently observed in Austria and Slovakia [23], we did not succeed in identifying genetic determinants of tissue tropism, nor between enteric and respiratory BCoV strains (based on published sequences), nor between strains present in the upper and lower respiratory tracts (based on the sequences generated within the framework of the present study). In the absence of viral genetic determinants of tissue tropism, the immune status of the animals at the time of the BCoV infection, infectious dose, and route of inoculation (oro-fecal versus aerosol) may play a role in determining sites of infection [77].…”

“…While both forms of BCoV infection are widespread with high prevalence among cattle [12,13,15,20,21] and wild ruminants [22], the putative differences between strains isolated from enteric and respiratory tracts are still not clear, and it is unknown whether these differences are related to tissue tropism or simply to distinct times and locations of isolation. Some reports indeed suggest that all the BCoV are similar at genomic and antigenic levels [18,23], while others suggest that enteric and respiratory strains are genetically and antigenically different [24,25]. Zhang et al highlighted molecular differences within a single host, with intra-host quasispecies and enteric strains more prone to genetic changes than their respiratory counterparts [26].…”

Bovine Coronavirus Co-infection and Molecular Characterization in Dairy Calves With or Without Clinical Respiratory Disease

“…Glycoprotein S projects out of the viral envelope and is subdivided into S1 and S2. The S1 subunit is responsible for virus binding to host cell receptors and contains the dominant neutralizing epitopes; thus, it is a target of molecular epidemiology studies ( 16 ). The S2 subunit mediates viral membrane fusion ( 12 ).…”

Coronaviruses in farm animals: Epidemiology and public health implications

“…The BCoV is the causative agent of winter dysentery (WD) in adult cattle (Saif, Redman, Brock, Kohler, & Heckert, 1988) and causes respiratory tract infections in calves, cattle and small ruminants (Storz et al., 2000). Recent reports identified differences in antigenic, genomic and culture characteristics between respiratory and enteric BCoV strains (Vilček, Jacková, Kolesárová, & Vlasáková, 2017). Several Bovine‐like coronaviruses were detected in domestic animals and were reviewed by Amer (2019).…”