title: Sequence and analysis of BECV F15 matrix protein.
abstract: Clones from the bovine enteric coronavirus (F15) cDNA library were cloned in pBR322 and sequenced by the method of Sanger and Coulson. This led to the identification of a sequence of 1,300 bases which contained a single open reading frame of 690 bases yielding a protein having properties of the matrix protein (M). It was comprised of 230 amino acids with a molecular weight of 26,376 Da. It was hydrophobic and had a net charge of +8 at neutral pH. Analysis of its secondary structure could not establish a simple transmembrane arrangement of the amino acids. Comparison of its nucleotide sequence with that of BECV Mebus strain showed only a two-base change resulting in a 100% homology between the two amino acid sequences. Furthermore, a very conserved structure of M appeared on comparison with the Dayoff optimal alignment of MHV-A59, MHV-JHM, TGEV, IBV Beaudette and IBV 6/82M amino acid sequences. As the two strains of BECV, F15 and Mebus present some antigenic differences, this led us to reconsider the role of M in viral antigen specificity. A hypothesis is that, as it seems to possess the necessary information on its transmembrane region, it is an ideal candidate for the viral budding process.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie Appliquée, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savoysky
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boireau
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finance
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laporte
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003332:Coronaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D000086862:Coronavirus M Proteins; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012313:RNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000086862:Coronavirus M Proteins; C000706230:M protein, Avian infectious bronchitis virus; C000706228:M protein, Bovine enteric coronavirus F15; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA