title: Subtype B avian metapneumovirus resembles subtype A more closely than subtype C or human metapneumovirus with respect to the phosphoprotein, and second matrix and small hydrophobic proteins.
abstract: Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) subtype B (aMPV/B) nucleotide sequences were obtained for the phosphoprotein (P), second matrix protein (M2), and small hydrophobic protein (SH) genes. By comparison with sequences from other metapneumoviruses, aMPV/B was most similar to subtype A aMPV (aMPV/A) relative to the US subtype C isolates (aMPV/C) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Strictly conserved residues common to all members of the Pneumovirinae were identified in the predicted amino acid sequences of the P and M2 protein-predicted amino acid sequences. The Cys(3)-His(1) motif, thought to be important for binding zinc, was also present in the aMPV M2 predicted protein sequences. For both the P and M2-1 protein-predicted amino acid sequences, aMPV/B was most similar to aMPV/A (72 and 89% identity, respectively), having only approximately 52 and 70% identity, respectively, relative to aMPV/C and hMPV. Differences were more marked in the M2-2 proteins, subtype B having 64% identity with subtype A but < or = 25% identity with subtype C and hMPV. The A and B subtypes of aMPV had predicted amino acid sequence identities for the SH protein of 47%, and less than 20% with that of hMPV. An SH gene was not detected in the aMPV/C. Phylogenetically, aMPV/B clustered with aMPV/A, while aMPV/C grouped with hMPV.
authors.affiliation: Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, 934 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605, USA.
authors.forename: Janet Ashley
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: M Kariuki
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Njenga
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mawditt
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: Bruce S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Seal
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D006801:Humans; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014422:Turkeys; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D010750:Phosphoproteins; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C056150:small hydrophobic protein, virus; C075182:M2 protein, turkey rhinotracheitis pneumovirus