1987 Transcriptional Map of the Measles Virus Genome

We have constructed a recombinant DNA library of the measles virus genome and identified gene-specific clones containing sequences coding for portions of each of the six viral structural proteins, as well as clones coding for intercistronic sequences. By Northern blotting, we could order the clones according to the pattern of individual gene-specific and readthrough mRNAs. Clones corresponding to the N, P/C and M genes were identified by correlation of the mRNAs with their in vitro translation products; clones corresponding to the H, F and L genes were identified by indirect evidence. The results indicated that the gene order in measles virus is that of a typical paramyxovirus (3'-N,P/C,M,F,H,L-5'), but that the M and F transcripts each contain 1.5 times the coding capacity needed for synthesis of these proteins in vivo. Measles virus (MV) is medically one of the most important paramyxoviruses (Morgan & Rapp, 1977). The broad outlines of paramyxovirus molecular biology were clearly set forth several years ago (Kingsbury, 1974), and the six MV structural proteins have b en well studied (for review, see Rima, 1983). It has recently been established that the first RNA transcribed from the 3 ' end of the MV genome is the 57 nucleotide (nt) 'leader ' RNA (Billeter et al., 1984