Abstract
Recent analyses of the nucleotide sequences of RNA segment 7 of influenza virus from two strains of infuenza A virus (PR/8/34 and Udorn/72) have shown that in addition to the reading frame coding for the membrane protein (M1) there is a second overlapping open reading frame that could code for 97 amino acids [Winter and Fields (1980). Nucleic Acids Res. 8, 1965-1974; Allen et al. (1980). Virology 107, 548-551; Lamb and Lai (1981). Virology 112, 746-751]. We have identified such a protein (M2) in infected cells and shown that it is synthesized from a separate mRNA. Hybrid-arrested translation experiments and the use of recombinant viruses of defined genome composition have demonstrated by both biochemical and genetic approaches that protein M2 is coded for by RNA segment 7. Peptide mapping studies have shown that M1 and M2 are distinct proteins, and the peptide maps can be correlated with the nucleotide sequences coding for M1 and M2.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 729-737 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Virology |
| Volume | 112 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 30 1981 |
Funding
We thank Mary Conners for excellent technical assistance and Dalius Briedis for useful discussions. This work was supported by Research Grants AI-05666f rom the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and PCM 86-13464fr om the National Science Foundation. R.A.L. is an Irma T. Hirsch1 Career Scientist Awardee.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Virology
