Nucleotide sequence of the tick-borne, orthomyxo-like Dhori/Indian/1313/61 virus envelope gene.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the fourth largest segment of single-stranded RNA of the tick-borne, orthomyxo-like Dhori/Indian/1313/61 virus was determined by using cloned cDNA derived from infected cell mRNA. The fourth RNA contains 1586 nucleotides and can code for a protein of 521 amino acids with a molecular weight of 58,675 Da. The predicted polypeptide possesses an amino-terminal hydrophobic region that may function as a signal sequence to initiate translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and a carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic region that could serve as a stop transfer sequence for anchoring this protein in the membrane. The envelope protein of Dhori virus does not display significant amino acid sequence homology with any of the envelope proteins (hemagglutinin or neuraminidase) of the influenza virus family members (or any other virus group) suggesting that the Dhori envelope protein is unique and may at least in part account for its divergent biological properties with other orthomyxoviruses.