Chimeric pneumovirus nucleocapsid (N) proteins allow identification of amino acids essential for the function of the respiratory syncytial virus N protein

J Gen Virol. 2003 Oct;84(Pt 10):2679-2683. doi: 10.1099/vir.0.19370-0.

Abstract

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of the pneumovirus respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major structural protein which encapsidates the RNA genome and is essential for replication and transcription of the RSV genome. The N protein of the related virus pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) is functionally unable to replace the RSV N protein in a minigenome replication assay. Using chimeric proteins, in which the immediate C-terminal part of the RSV N protein was replaced with the equivalent region of the PVM N protein, it was shown that six amino acid residues near the C terminus of the N protein (between residues 352-369) are essential for its function in replication and for the ability of the N protein to bind to the viral phosphoprotein, P.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acids / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Murine pneumonia virus / metabolism*
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / chemistry
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / metabolism
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Viral Proteins