mRNA Sequence andDeducedAminoAcidSequence oftheMumps Virus SmallHydrophobic Protein Gene

ThemRNA ofa putative smallhydrophobic protein (SH)ofmumps virus was identified inmumps virus-infected Verocells, andits complete nucleotide sequencewas determined bysequencing thegenomic RNA andcDNAclones andpartial sequencing ofmRNA.TheSH mRNA is310nucleotides longexcluding the poly(A) andcontains a single open reading frameencoding a protein of57aminoacids witha calculated molecular weight of6,719. Thepredicted protein ishighly hydrophobic andcontains a stretch of25 hydrophobic aminoacids neartheaminoterminus whichcould actasamembraneanchor region. Thereisno homology between theputative SHprotein ofmumps virus andtheSHprotein ofsimian virus 5,eventhough theSHgenesarelocated inthesame locus inthecorresponding genome.Oneinteresting observation isthat the hydrophobic domainofsimian virus 5SHprotein isatthecarboxyl terminus, whereas thatofmumps virus putative SHprotein isneartheaminoterminus.