Measles virus-specified polypeptides in infected cells.

The synthesis of wild-type measles virus-specified polypeptides in Vero cells in pulse-chase experiments, in cells with synchronized protein synthesis by high salt concentration, and in the presence of proteolytic enzyme inhibitors was analyzed by polyacrylamide slab-gel electrophoresis. Six major (L, G, 2, NP, 5 and M) structural polypeptides were identified in infected cells. The results of pulse-chase experiments suggested that most of the structural polypeptides were synthesized at their final length. Polypeptide M was found to be sensitive to trypsin. In TLCK-treated cells its molecular weight was about 1000--2000 daltons higher than in untreated cells. A minor virus-specific polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 23,000 was found as a very faint and diffuse band. In addition, three nonstructural polypeptides with molecular weights of 65,000, 38,000 and 18,000 were also detected. The experiments with proteolytic enzyme inhibitors and with synchronized protein synthesis suggested that the polypeptide with a molecular weight of 65,000 might be a precursor of the structural polypeptide 5.