Cloning, sequencing and characterization of the genome of a recombinant norovirus of the rare genotype GII.P7/GII.6 in China.

The genome sequence of a rare recombinant norovirus (NoV) genotype obtained from clinical samples in China was determined using one-step reverse transcription PCR. It was identified as the GII.P7/GII.6 genotype using both phylogenetic and SimPlot analyses. A high degree of variability was observed in the P2 subdomain, especially in the B-loop structure. The recombination breakpoints of all available GII.P7/GII.6 strains were mapped to two different positions within the RdRp region, both of which were at least 40 nt upstream of the overlap of ORF1 and 2. The GII.P7/GII.6 genotype appears to have been circulating in Asia for at least 10 years.