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The sequence of the genes encoding the fusion (F) and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoproteins of the human parainfluenza 3 virus was determined by molecular cloning. The genes were cloned by primer extension using genomic 50 S RNA as the template. A series of four overlapping clones was generated from the 3' end of the fusion gene which extended across the gene end and intergenic boundaries of the F-HN and HN-L genes. The F gene extends 1851 nucleotides (inclusive of the putative transcription initiation and polyadenylation signals) and encodes a protein consisting of 539 amino acids (mol wt 60,067). This protein contains four potential sites for N-linked glycosylation in the F1 subunit polypeptide and none in the F2 subunit polypeptide. The lack of a potential site of glycosylation in F2 makes this protein unique compared to other reported paramyxoviral F proteins. The HN gene extends 1888 nucleotides and encodes a protein consisting of 572 amino acids (mol wt 64,255). This protein contains four potential sites for N-linked glycosylation.

The sequence of 1690 nucleotides from the 5' end of the viral complementary RNA for the human parainfluenza 3 virus was determined by molecular cloning. One large open reading frame consisting of 1548 nucleotides was demonstrated. The encoded protein, the nucleocapsid protein (NP), consists of 515 amino acids, and has a predicted molecular weight of 57,819. A noncoding 5' sequence of 51 nucleotides is present at the end of the NP-mRNA. Two consensus sequences were identified which are homologous with sequences found in Sendai virus. One of these sequences, AGGATTAAAG, was located at the 5' end of the nucleocapsid mRNA and may function in transcription initiation. The other consensus sequence, GTAAGGGAA, was found in the viral genomic leader sequence. The nucleocapsid protein amino acid sequence was compared to other members of the Paramyxoviridae family. The parainfluenza 3 virus protein nucleocapsid amino acid sequence demonstrated a high degree of homology with the Sendai virus nucleocapsid protein. Seventy percent of the first 387 amino acids from the amino termini were identical. Little homology was observed in the distal carboxy termini.

The sequence of the matrix (M) protein gene and contiguous intergenic regions of the human parainfluenza 3 virus (PF3) was determined by molecular cloning. The encoded M protein contains 354 amino acids and has a predicted mol wt of 39,506. The M protein amino acid sequence was compared to the homologous proteins from other members of the Paramyxoviridae family. The PF3 protein shared 61% homology with the Sendai virus protein and approximately 35% homology with measles and canine distemper virus proteins. Little homology was observed with respiratory syncytial virus. The M protein appears to be the most highly conserved among the Paramyxoviridae proteins.

The sequence of the mRNA encoding the phosphoprotein (P protein) of the human parainfluenza virus 3 (PF3) was determined by molecular cloning. In other Parmyxoviridae the P protein mRNA is functionally bicistronic and encodes an additional smaller nonstructural protein termed C. In this report three open reading frames (ORF) are described. These consist of a single long ORF encoding the P protein, and two shorter ORFs encoding the structural Vp18 protein (analogous to the Sendai C protein) and a putative polypeptide termed D protein. The encoded phosphoprotein consists of 603 amino acids and has a predicted molecular weight of 67,683. The C protein consists of 199 amino acids and has a predicted molecular weight of 23,288. The D protein consists of 140 amino acids and has a predicted molecular weight of 16,270. Although the D protein has not yet been demonstrated in vivo its synthesis could be demonstrated in vitro using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. Thus it appears that unlike the other paramyxoviruses, the PF3 P protein mRNA may be functionally tricistronic.

We describe here a persistently infected cell system with unique properties. Cells infected with human parainfluenza virus type 3 (PF3) at high multiplicities of infection showed little or no cytopathic effects (cell fusion). Unlike other paramyxovirus persistent infections that require a long development time, the majority of the cells survived the initial infection and formed persistently infected cell cultures that were immediately available for study. In addition, unlike other paramyxovirus persistent infections, the PF3 system described here produced high levels of infectious virus and did not undergo periodic crises. Although cells persistently infected with PF3 contained large amounts of the cleaved, active form of the viral fusion protein, F1, the persistently infected cells did not fuse with each other. However, they did fuse with uninfected cells within minutes of cell-to-cell contact. Other persistent paramyxovirus infections do not have this property. Fusion occurred with all cells tested, including red blood cells, and was not dependent on protein synthesis. The unique fusion properties of these PF3 persistently infected cells make this an interesting system for the study of mechanisms of viral fusion and mechanisms of inhibition of viral fusion.

The sequence of the gene encoding the L protein of the human parainfluenza 3 virus was determined by direct dideoxy sequence analysis of the genomic 50 S RNA and confirmed by molecular cloning and sequence analysis of recombinant clones. A series of three overlapping clones was generated by primer extension using genomic 50 S RNA as the template. These clones originate within the 5' end of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene, span the entire L gene, and extend into the extracistronic 5' end of the viral RNA. The L gene extends 6755 nucleotides (inclusive of the putative transcription initiation and polyadenylation signal sequences) and encodes a protein consisting of 2233 amino acids (MW 255,812). There are 44 nucleotides downstream of the putative polyadenylation signal sequence which may represent a negative-strand leader. The complementary sequence of the extracistronic region is nearly identical to the 3' end of the viral RNA. Thirty-three of the first thirty-nine nucleotides of the 3' ends of the plus and minus strands are conserved. Comparison of amino acid sequence homology with other paramyxoviral L proteins indicates a high degree of sequence conservation with Sendai virus (62%) and Newcastle disease virus (28%). In addition, four smaller regions were identified which shared extensive homology with the L protein of vesicular stomatitis virus, a member of the Rhabdoviridae family.