Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of the paramyxovirus simian virus 5: nucleotide sequence of the mRNA predicts an N-terminal membrane anchor.

The nucleotide sequence of a cloned cDNA copy of the mRNA coding for the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase of the paramyxovirus SV5 was determined. There was a single large open reading frame on the mRNA which encoded a protein of 565 amino acids with a molecular weight of 62,134. The deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the only major hydrophobic region in the protein sufficiently long to anchor the protein in the membrane is located near the N terminus (amino acids 18 to 36). It is suggested that, like the influenza virus neuraminidase, hemagglutinin-neuraminidase of paramyxoviruses is oriented with its N terminus inserted into the membrane.