In an attempt to further delineate antigenic structure and function of rotavirus we have generated: (i) a series of single gene substitution reassortant rotaviruses and (ii) a series of rotavirus mutants resistant to neutralizing VP7 monoclonal antibodies. Some of the reassortants are potential human rotavirus vaccine candidates. Serologic analysis of the escape mutants and sequence analysis of the VP7 gene of the mutants have revealed a complex structure of neutralization antigenic sites on the VP7.
