Until now every rotavirus VP6 gene which has been characterized was shown to contain a unique AUG located 23 nucleotides downstream of its 5' terminus. An exception to this rule was recently observed. The VP6 gene of the equine H-2 rotavirus strain contains an additional AUG at residues 132-134, which initiates the translation of a second VP6 protein. Both VP6 products assume a trimeric conformation in the mature virion. The VP6 gene of the H2 strain is the second example of the presence of an active second AUG codon in rotavirus. The first example was previously described by others in the VP7 gene.
