The P gene of Newcastle disease virus does not encode an accessory X protein.
Many paramyxoviruses encode non-essential accessory proteins that are involved in the regulation of virus replication and inhibition of cellular antiviral responses. It has been suggested that the P gene mRNA of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) encodes an accessory protein - the so-called X protein - by translation initiation at a conserved in-frame AUG codon at position 120. Using a monoclonal antibody that specifically detected the P and X proteins, it was shown that an accessory X protein was not expressed in NDV-infected cells. Recombinant NDV strains in which the AUG was changed into a GCC (Ala) or GUC (Val) codon were viable but showed a reduction in virulence, probably because the amino acid change affected the function of the P and/or V protein.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 65, NL-8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Ben
B
Peeters
Division of Infectious Diseases, Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 65, NL-8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Paul
P
Verbruggen
Division of Infectious Diseases, Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 65, NL-8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Frank
F
Nelissen
Division of Infectious Diseases, Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 65, NL-8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Olav
O
de Leeuw
D003062:Codon; D005814:Genes, Viral; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000235:genetics*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D003062:Codon; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014764:Viral Proteins