Expression of novel genes encoded by the paramyxovirus J virus

Abstract

Characterization of the J virus or, in keeping with recent nomenclature recommendations, J paramyxovirus (JPV) genome revealed a unique genome structure, consisting of eight genes in the order 3′-N-P/V/ C-M-F-SH-TM-G-L-5′. The small hydrophobic (SH) protein and the transmembrane (TM) protein genes are predicted to encode proteins 69 and 258 aa in size, respectively. The 4401 nt attachment (G) protein gene, much larger than most other paramyxovirus attachment protein genes sequenced to date, encodes a putative 709 aa attachment protein and contains distally a second open reading frame (ORF-X) 2115 nt long. Experiments undertaken in this study were intended to confirm the sequence-based gene a..