Serotype G6 human rotavirus sharing a conserved genetic constellation with natural reassortants between members of the bovine and AU-1 genogroups.

Serotype G6 human rotavirus PA151 was examined by RNA-RNA hybridization in comparison with another G6 strain PA169 and two naturally-occurring G3 reassortants PCP5 and MZ58. PA151 possessed three gene segments that formed hybrids with AU-1 and seven gene segments that formed hybrids with bovine rotavirus NCDV. PA151 also possessed eight, 10 and 10 gene segments that formed hybrids with genomic RNAs from PA169, PCP5, and MZ58, respectively. Thus, PA151 was an intergenogroup reassortant formed in nature between members of the bovine and AU-1 genogroups and it shared a genome constellation with PA169, PCP5, and MZ58. These results suggest that naturally-occurring intergenogroup reassortants possessing such a genome constellation were perpetuated in human populations.