The influenza virus nucleoprotein synthesized from cloned DNA in a simian virus 40 vector is detected in the nucleus.

We obtained DNA sequences coding for the nucleoprotein (NP) of an influenza A virus by reverse transcription of virion RNA with synthetic oligonucleotide primers. Terminal sequence analysis showed that the cloned gene contained a full-length copy of the virion RNA segment. The NP-specific DNA was inserted into the late region of a simian virus 40 vector, and the DNA recombinant was propagated in the presence of an early simian virus 40 temperature-sensitive mutant helper. Infection of African green monkey kidney cells with the recombinant produced a polypeptide immunoprecipitable with NP-specific antisera. The polypeptide product had a molecular weight of 56,000, identical to that of the nucleoprotein of influenza virus as estimated on polyacrylamide gels. The putative NP was detected in the nucleus of infected primate cells by an immunofluorescence assay. This nuclear localization of NP from recombinant DNA was similar to that seen during influenza virus infection.