Identification of a bovine rotavirus gene and gene product influencing cellular attachment.

Preliminary characterization of naturally occurring temperature-sensitive bovine rotavirus mutants, generated via gene reassortment, indicated that the product of gene segment 10 can influence virus adsorption to MA-104 cells. Cell-free translation of this gene segment in a rabbit reticulocyte system was then utilized to identify a polypeptide with a molecular weight of ca. 21,500 as the primary translation product. This identification provides a basis for further studies of rotavirus assembly and cell interactions which may, in turn, aid in elucidating the replicative strategy of the virus.