Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the human parainfluenza 3 virus RNA encoding the nucleocapsid protein

The sequence of 1690 nucleotides from the 5' end of the viral complementary RNA for the human parainfluenza 3 virus was determined by molecular cloning. One large open reading frame consisting of 1548 nucleotides was demonstrated. The encoded protein, the nucleocapsid protein (NP), consists of 515 amino acids, and has a predicted molecular weight of 57,819. A noncoding 5' sequence of 51 nucleotides is present at the end of the NP-mRNA. Two consensus sequences were identified which are homologous with sequences found in Sendai virus. One of these sequences, AGGATTAAAG, was located at the 5' end of the nucleocapsid mRNA and may function in transcription initiation. The other consensus sequence, GTAAGGGAA, was found in the viral genomic leader sequence. The nucleocapsid protein amino acid sequence was compared to other members of the Paramyxoviridae family. The parainfluenza 3 virus protein nucleocapsid amino acid sequence demonstrated a high degree of homology with the Sendai virus nucleocapsid protein. Seventy percent of the first 387 amino acids from the amino termini were identical. Little homology was observed in the distal carboxy termini.