Characterization of the F Gene of Contemporary Mumps Virus Strains Isolated in Japan

Mumps virus (MuV) strains isolated in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, from 1997 to 2001, were examined by analyzing the SH and the F gene nucleotide sequences. The results of the SH gene analysis showed that only genotype G was found in 2001 as well as in 2000, and that genotype J, which we proposed as a new genotype in a previous study, was from a different lineage than the genotype J described by Tecle et al. (J. Gen. Virol. 82, 2675–2680). We therefore, propose to rename the genotype as K to avoid confusion. Then, the F gene of genotypes G, H, and K strains were analyzed together with previously reported strains in this study. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the F gene nucleotide sequences showed that these strains formed a cluster as described by the SH gene analysis. Alignment of the F amino acid sequences showed that the F protein was well conserved among strains of different genotypes with a few amino acid differences. These results provide better information for the characterization of contemporary MuV strains in Japan.