title: Evidence that the matrix protein of influenza C virus is coded for by a spliced mRNA.
abstract: In contrast to influenza A and B viruses, which encode their matrix (M) proteins via an unspliced mRNA, the influenza C virus M protein appears to be coded for by a spliced mRNA from RNA segment 6. Although an open reading frame in RNA segment 6 of influenza C/JJ/50 virus could potentially code for a protein of 374 amino acids, a splicing event results in an mRNA coding for a 242-amino-acid M protein. The message for this protein represents the major M gene-specific mRNA species in C virus-infected cells. Despite the difference in coding strategies, there are sequence homologies among the M proteins of influenza A, B, and C viruses which confirm the evolutionary relationship of the three influenza virus types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York 10029.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krystal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palese
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D009982:Gammainfluenzavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins