Generation of measles virus with a segmented RNA genome

Viruses classified in the order Mononegavirales have a single nonsegmented RNA molecule as the genome and employ similar strategies for genome replication and gene expression. Infectious particles of Measles virus (MeV), a member of the family Paramyxoviridae in the order Mononegavirales, with two or three RNA genome segments (2 seg- or 3 seg-MeV) were generated using a highly efficient reverse genetics system. All RNA segments of the viruses were designed to have authentic 3' and 5' self-complementary termini, similar to those of negative-stranded RNA viruses that intrinsically have multiple RNA genome segments. The 2 seg- and 3 seg-MeV were viable and replicated well in cultured cells. 3 seg-MeV could accommodate up to six additional transcriptional units, five of which were shown to be capable of expressing foreign proteins efficiently. These data indicate that the MeV genome can be segmented, providing an experimental insight into the divergence of the negative-stranded RNA viruses with nonsegmented or segmented RNA genomes. They also illustrate a new strategy to develop mononegavirus-derived vectors harboring multiple additional transcriptional units.