Structural characterization of virion proteins and genomic RNA of human parainfluenza virus 3

Abstract

The virion proteins and genomic RNA of human parainfluenza virus 3 were characterized. The virion contains 7 major and 2 minor proteins. Three proteins of 195 .times. 103 MW (195K), 87K and 67K are associated with the nucleocapsid of the virion and have been designated L, P and NP, respectively. Three proteins can be labeled with [14C]glucosamine and have MW of 69K, 60K and 46K. These proteins were designated as HN, F0 and F1, respectively. HN protein has interchain disulfide bonds, but does not participate in disulfide bonding to form homomultimeric forms. F1 appears to be derived from a complex, F1,2, that has an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of F0 under nonreducing conditions. A protein of 35K is associated with the envelope components of the virion and aggregates under low-salt conditions; this protein was designated M. The genome of human parainfluenza virus 3 is a linear RNA molecule with a MW of .apprx. 4.6 .times. 106.