Whole-genome analysis of rotavirus G4P[6] strains isolated from Korean neonates: association of Korean neonates and rotavirus P[6] genotypes

BACKGROUND: Group A rotaviruses are the major causative agents of pediatric gastroenteritis worldwide. Several studies have reported the predominance of G4P[6] rotavirus genotypes in Korean neonates, which is uncommon in other countries. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to determine the genotype constellations of complete genomes of G4P[6] rotavirus strains isolated from Korean neonates using next-generation sequencing, to compare these sequences with other G4P[6] strains in other countries, and to determine the reason for the predominance of G4P[6] genotypes in Korean neonates. RESULTS: Twenty rotavirus G4P[6] strains, isolated from January 2013 to January 2016, were selected for whole-genome sequencing. Eleven rotavirus genes were amplified using specific primer sets, and sequencing was carried out using an Ion S5 XL next-generation sequencing platform. Genotypes of each gene were determined, and phylogenetic analyses were performed to investigate genetic distances between genes of rotaviruses in this study and those of other rotavirus G4P[6] strains whose whole-genome sequences were previously published. All 20 rotavirus strains in this study had the same genotype: G4-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1, representing the Wa-like genotype constellation. BLAST searches of 20 G4P[6] rotavirus strains revealed that all G4 sequences in this study showed the highest nucleotide identity to G4 sequences of G4P[6] rotavirus strains isolated in Korea in 2008 (GenBank accession number: FJ603447). Additionally, P[6] gene sequences in this study showed the highest nucleotide identity to P[6] sequences of G4P[6] strains detected in Korea in 2002 (AY158093). Phylogenetic and nucleotide sequence analyses showed that G4P[6] strains in this study and previously reported G4P[6] strains in Korea were mostly detected in neonates and had similar G4 and P[6] sequences compared with other G4P[6] strains detected in other countries. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the whole-genome constellation of rotavirus G4P[6] strains from Korean neonates resembled a Wa-like genotype constellation. Additionally, rotavirus genotypes detected in Korean neonates had unique P[6] sequences, which may be the cause of Korean neonatal rotavirus infection. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13099-019-0318-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.