title: Identification and mapping of a region on the mRNA of Morbillivirus nucleoprotein susceptible to RNA interference.
abstract: The morbillivirus genus includes important pathogens such as measles virus (MV), peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), and rinderpest virus (RPV) and forms a group of antigenically related viruses. The viral nucleoprotein (N) is a well-conserved protein among the genus and plays a central role in the replication of the virus. Using a comprehensive approach for siRNA screening of the conserved sequences of the N gene, including sequence analysis and functional in vitro tests, we have identified a region for the design of siRNA effective for the control of PPRV, RPV, and MV replication. Silencing of the N mRNA efficiently shuts down the production of N transcripts, the expression of N protein, and the indirect inhibition of matrix protein, resulting in the inhibition of PPRV progeny by 10,000-fold. These results suggest that siRNA against this region should be further explored as a therapeutic strategy for morbillivirus infections.
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, Département Systèmes Biologiques, UPR 15 Contrôle des Maladies Animales Emergentes et Exotiques, TA A-15/G, Campus International de Baillarguet, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Djénéba
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keita
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Servan de Almeida
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Libeau
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018103:Morbillivirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018185:Morbillivirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology*; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014709:Vero Cells; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D009698:Nucleoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering