Molecular properties of the matrixprotein(M) gene of the lapinized rinderpest virus.

The nucleotide sequence of the matrixprotein (M) gene of the lapinized rinderpest virus (RPV-L) was determined. The full-length cDNA of the RPV-L M gene is composed of 1460 base pairs and is supposed to contain an open reading frame of 1005 nucleotides encoding on M protein of 335 amino acids. The homology of the predicted amino acid among congeneric morbilliviruses such as RPV Kabete 'O' strain (wild strain of RPV), RPV RBOK strain (vaccine strain of RPV for cattle), measles virus (MV), and canine distemper virus (CDV), is approximately 94%, 93%, 87% and 77%, respectively. In the present study, all coding regions of the RPV-L strain have been determined.