3). These results, when taken together, indicate that Malawian long RNA pattern viruses belonged to the Wa genogroup and Malawian short RNA pattern viruses belonged to the DS-1 genogroup. For the two distinct G12P[6] strains having either short or long RNA pattern, the probe made from MAL88, a short pattern G12P[6] virus, produced 11 hybrid bands with MAL39, another short RNA pattern virus, that were very similar to the homologous bands, but produced

with MAL12 and MAL40, long RNA pattern G12P[6] viruses, only one strong hybrid band around the area of segments Enzalutamide 7–9 and two weak bands around the area of segments 1–4 (Fig. 4). The intense hybrid band noted in the region of genome segments 7, 8 and 9 in each of the lanes containing genomic RNAs from MAL12, MAL40, and MAL65, was interpreted as the G12 VP7 gene. Phylogenetic trees were constructed in order to better understand

the genetic relationships of representative Malawian strains with RIX4414 and with globally circulating rotaviruses with respect to each of their VP7, VP4, VP6, and NSP4 genes. The G1 VP7 phylogenetic tree using sequences available in the DNA databases identified the presence of 6 lineages including 2 lineages that apparently selleck compound consisted of mostly bovine and porcine strains (lineages V and VI) (Fig. 5a). The other 4 lineages contained only viruses of human origin. RIX4414 belonged to lineage I, whereas MAL23 (G1P[8]) belonged to lineage III (Fig. 5a). These two sequences were divergent

by 5.4% at the nucleotide sequence level. In the G8 VP7 phylogenetic tree there were 3 lineages (Fig. 5b). MAL81(G8P[4]) belonged to lineage II which contained primarily strains of African origin, and its sequence clustered closely with Malawian strains which were detected between 1997 and 2001. In the G9 VP7 phylogenetic tree there were 3 lineages (Fig. 5c). MAL82 (G9P[8]) belonged to lineage III, which comprised GPX6 most of the recently emerged global G9 strains. In the G12 VP7 phylogenetic tree there were 4 lineages (Fig. 5d). Both MAL12 (G12P[6], long RNA pattern) and MAL88 (G12P[6], short RNA pattern) belonged to lineage III. These two sequences had a very high sequence identity of 99.4%, and supported the intense hybrid band observed between MAL12 and MAL88. However, it appeared that the VP7 sequences of G12P[6] strains were very closely related to each other irrespective of their electropherotype designation or geographical origin. In the P[8] VP4 phylogenetic tree there were 4 lineages (Fig. 6a). MAL23 (G1P[8]) and MAL82 (G9P[8]) belonged to lineage IV, whereas RIX4414 belonged to lineage II. The P[8] VP4 genes carried by Malawian strains reported previously belonged to lineages I, III and IV [15], and thus despite the same geographical origin, Malawi P[8] VP4 genes were noted to be highly divergent.