title: Measles virus haemagglutinin gene: cloning, complete nucleotide sequence analysis and expression in COS cells.
abstract: A measles virus (Hallé strain) cDNA library was prepared by cloning virus-induced mRNA directly into the expression vector PCD. Clones corresponding to the measles virus haemagglutinin (HA) gene were isolated and one, PCD-HA-15, which corresponded to the complete mRNA sequence, was further characterized. After transfection into COS-7 cells, measles virus HA antigen was detected by immunofluorescence. The [35S]methionine-labelled HA protein from transfected cells was immunoprecipitated by both polyclonal and monoclonal measles virus antibodies. Analysis by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the PCD-HA-15 protein migrated in a manner identical to the virus-induced HA. Nucleotide sequence analysis established that the gene contained 1949 nucleotides [exclusive of poly(A)] and coded for a protein containing 617 amino acids. A single hydrophobic domain likely to represent the transmembrane region was identified at the N-terminus. A second overlapping reading frame coded for a protein containing 70 amino acids. This contained a short hydrophobic region (16 amino acids) and had two potential N-glycosylation sites. Comparison of the HA gene of the Hallé strain with the published sequence of the Edmonston strain showed that there was a high degree of conservation (99.3%).
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA; D005796:Genes; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006031:Glycosylation; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D004247:DNA