First Detection of Recombinant Enterovirus G Carrying a Torovirus Papain-like cysteine protease Gene from India

Enterovirus G (EV-G) comprising 20 genotypes (G1-G20) are associated with in a various disease conditions in pig populations. The recombination between homologous EV-G is a driving force behind evolution but the recombination with virus from heterologous family is rare event. Presently, two types of recombinant EV-G strains containing torovirus papain like cysteine protease (PLCP) at 2C-3A junction (Type I) and in place of structural proteins (Type II) are reported. The present study conducted to reveal RNA virome in diarrheic piglets faeces retrieved genome coding for complete polyprotein of EV-G1. The detected EV-G1 strain represents first type I recombinant from India. The polyprotein of strain exhibiting 97% amino acid identity was closely related with Chinese strain. Furthermore, the EV-G1-PLCP strain was found to be originated from South Korean, Chinese, and Japanese strains with breakpoints at nucleotide (nt) position 1323 and 4725. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of VP1 and PLCP of study strain demonstrated its closeness to EV-G1-PLCP strains from South Korea KOR/KNU-1811/2018/G1-PLCP. The present study advances the knowledge about genetic evolution of EV-G from gaining virulence gene from different virus family.