Growth and survival of reovirus in intestinal tissue: role of the L2 and S1 genes

Reovirus serotype 1 Lang can be recovered in high titer from the intestines of neonatal mice up to day 8 after peroral inoculation. By contrast, reovirus serotype 3 Dearing cannot be recovered from intestinal tissue past day 4 after peroral inoculation. This difference between the two reoviruses was mapped by using reassortants generated from nonmutagenized laboratory stocks. When the L2 and S1 genes of reovirus serotype 3 Dearing were present in reassortants, the reassortants behaved like serotype 3 Dearing in exhibiting a decreased capacity to be recovered from intestinal tissue. Likewise, viruses which contained the L2 and S2 genes from serotype 1 Lang exhibited an enhanced capacity to grow and survive, which is characteristic of serotype 1 Lang. Thus, the capacity of reovirus to survive in intestinal tissue was determined by the L2 and S1 genes.