Morbillivirus group: genome organisation and proteins

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A Diallo1

  • 1Institut d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux/CIRAD, Service de Pathologie Infectieuse, Maisons-Alfort, France.

Veterinary Microbiology
|June 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Morbilliviruses, a genus of Paramyxoviridae, cause severe acute diseases in humans and animals. Some strains lead to fatal chronic nervous system diseases, but new sequencing technologies are improving our understanding of their biology.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • The Paramyxoviridae family includes three genera: Paramyxovirus, Pneumovirus, and Morbillivirus.
  • Morbilliviruses are highly pathogenic to humans and animals, often causing acute illnesses.
  • Certain morbilliviruses, like measles and canine distemper viruses, can establish persistent infections leading to fatal chronic neurological disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the Morbillivirus genus within the Paramyxoviridae family.
  • To highlight the pathogenic potential and clinical manifestations of morbilliviruses.
  • To discuss the historical challenges and recent advancements in studying morbillivirus biology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on Paramyxoviridae, focusing on the Morbillivirus genus.
  • Discussion of biochemical challenges in morbillivirus research, particularly protein susceptibility to proteolysis.
  • Integration of data from cloning and sequencing technologies to enhance biological understanding.

Main Results:

  • Identification of four closely related, pathogenic viruses within the Morbillivirus genus.
  • Confirmation of the ability of at least two morbilliviruses to cause fatal persistent infections affecting the nervous system.
  • Advancements in understanding morbillivirus biology due to modern molecular techniques.

Conclusions:

  • Morbilliviruses represent a significant threat due to their pathogenicity and potential for chronic, fatal neurological disease.
  • Overcoming biochemical hurdles, particularly protein instability, has been crucial for progress.
  • Cloning and sequencing technologies have significantly improved the availability of data on morbillivirus biology, paving the way for further research.

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