Canine distemper terminal and intergenic non-protein coding nucleotide sequences: completion of the entire CDV genome sequence.

Sequences critical for the transcription and replication functions of canine distemper virus (CDV) RNA polymerase were analyzed. The sequence was obtained from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products using either c-DNA clones from a genomic library as template or in most instances genomic CDV RNA. Clones coding for the precise 3'- and 5'-ends of the CDV genome were sequenced and the results confirmed by additional PCR experiments. The virtual identity of terminal sequences and spacing at the two noncoding ends speak to the importance of these areas in replication and transcription. The sequence for each of the CDV gene boundaries was defined and all were compared to related viruses. This report completes the sequence determination of the CDV genome.