Virus Research 54 (1998) 39–50 The capsid protein of vesicular exanthema of swine virus serotype A 48 : relationship to the capsid protein of other animal caliciviruses 1 John D. Neill a, *, Richard F. Meyer b , Bruce S. Seal 2,c a Enteric Diseases and Food Safety Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA 3 , Agricultural Research Serice, Ames, IA 50010, USA b Plum Island Animal Disease Center, USDA, APHIS, Greenport, NY 11944, USA c Virology Swine Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA, Agricultural Research Serice, Ames, IA 50010, USA Received 18 August 1997; accepted 7 January 1998 Abstract Vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VESV), the prototype calicivirus, is the etiologic agent of the porcine disease vesicular exanthema of swine (VES). VES is characterized by vesicle formation on the extremities, mouth and snout and causes abortions and stillbirths if infection occurs during pregnancy. VESV is considered an exotic agent in the US, following its eradication in 1956. The single capsid protein gene of VESV serotype A 48 was cloned and sequenced. The capsid amino acid sequence was 69% similar to the San Miguel sea lion virus serotype 1 (SMSV 1) and 89% similar to the SMSV serotype 4 (SMSV 4) capsid proteins. The six functional regions (A – F) previously identified in SMSV 1, SMSV 4, feline calicivirus and rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus capsid proteins were present in VESV A 48 . Two sets of PCR primers were designed which directed amplification of the 5 end (A region) and the hypervariable (E region) sequences of the capsid protein precursor gene of these viruses, as well as seven additional SMSV serotypes. Alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the N-terminal sequences demonstrated the close relationship of these viruses. Alignment of the hypervariable region amino acid sequences of the ten viruses confirmed that a great variety of sequence exists in this region; however, a consensus sequence (NxT(N/H)F(K/R)GxYI(C/M)GxLx(T/R)) was derived which is also present in the feline calicivirus capsid protein. Comparison of the E region sequences provides further * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 515 239 8372; fax: +1 515 2398458; e-mail: jneill@nadc.ars.usda.gov 1 The GenBank accession numbers of the sequences reported in this paper are U76874 through U76888. 2 Present address. Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, USDA, ARS, 934 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605, USA. 3 Disclaimer: Names are necessary to report factually on available data, however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. 0168-1702/98/$19.00 © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII S0168-1702(98)00013-6