CODING ANALYSES OF BUNYAVIRUS RNA SPECIES

Abstract

Publisher Summary The genome of bunya viruses consists of three single-stranded, negative-sense, RNA molecules designated as L, M, and S. For snowshoe hare (SSH) virus, a member of the California encephalitis serogroup of bunyaviruses, it has been demonstrated by genetic, molecular, and DNA sequencing studies that the S RNA (3.3x10 daltons) codes for the structural nucleocapsid polypeptide N (26.3x10 daltons) as well as a nonstructural protein NSs (10.5x10 daltons) that is found in virus infected cells. Tne function of the NSs protein is unknown. The two gene products are read from overlapping open reading frames in the S viral complementary RNA species. The S RNA species and the encoded gene products of SSH and LAC viruses are comparable in sequence. Although most of the 114 nucleotide differences do not predict amino acid changes, there are a total of 22 N and 12 NSs differences. The direct RNA sequencing of SSH and LAC RNA species has demonstrated that the 3' ends of the three viral RNA species (L, M, and S) are conserved, at least for 10–15 nucleotides.