Molecular characterization of newly recognized rodent parvoviruses

Several autonomous rodent parvoviruses distinct from the prototypic rodent parvoviruses have been isolated. These include variants of a mouse parvovirus (MPV), a hamster isolate designated hamster parvovirus (HaPV), and a variant strain of minute virus of mice (MVM) designated MVM-Cutter or MVM(c). In this study, the DNA sequence of the coding regions of the viral genome and the predicted protein sequences for each of these new isolates were determined and compared to the immunosuppressive and prototypic strains of MVM [MVM(i) and MVM(p)], the rodent parvovirus H-1, and LuIII, an autonomous parvovirus of uncertain host origin. Sequence comparisons showed that the MPV isolates were almost identical, HaPV was very similar to MPV, and MVM(c) was most similar to MVM(i) and MVM(p). Haemagglutination inhibition assays revealed that MPV and HaPV represent two serotypes distinct from previously characterized rodent parvovirus serotypes while MVM(c) belongs to the MVM serotype. Each of the newly isolated rodent parvoviruses was shown to encapsidate a predominantly negative-sense 5 kb DNA genome and to encode two nonstructural proteins (NS1 and NS2) and two structural viral proteins (VP1 and VP2). These studies indicate that MPV and HaPV are autonomous parvoviruses distinct from previously characterized parvoviruses and MVM(c) is a variant strain of MVM distinct from MVM(i) and MVM(p).