The paramyxoviruses are a family of negative-sense RNA viruses that includes many important human and animal pathogens. Paramyxovirus RNA synthesis requires the viral phosphoprotein (P) and the large (L) protein. Phosphorylation of P is thought to regulate viral gene expression, though direct proof remains elusive. Recently, we reported that phosphorylation of a specific residue (Ser157) of the...

On the basis of the conservation of neuraminidase (N) active-site residues in influenza virus N and paramyxovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), it has been suggested that the three-dimensional (3D) structures of the globular heads of the two proteins are broadly similar. In this study, details of this structural similarity are worked out. Detailed multiple sequence alignment of paramyxoviru...

Paramyxovirus spread generally involves assembly of individual viral particles which then infect target cells. We show that infection of human bronchial airway cells with human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a recently identified paramyxovirus which causes significant respiratory disease, results in formation of intercellular extensions and extensive networks of branched cell-associated filaments. For...

Background: RNA-dependent RNA-polymerases of nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses (Mononegavirales) harbor multiple catalytic activities. Results: Domain screening and transcomplementation of paramyxovirus polymerase fragments with dimerization tags identifies independent folding-competent domains. Conclusion: Paramyxovirus polymerases harbor at least two independent domains that lack higha...

In this study, a pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) isolated from a flock of ornamental pigeons in Poland in 2010 is described. The PPMV-1/Poland/H2/10 isolate showed the amino acid sequence at the cleavage site of F2/F1 112KRQKRF117 i.e. typical of virulent strains. Despite having the monoclonal antibody binding pattern typical of pigeon variants PPMV-1 (antigenic group "P"), the Polish isol...

The paramyxovirus family contains many common human pathogenic viruses, including measles, mumps, the parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, and the zoonotic henipaviruses, Hendra and Nipah. While the expression of a type 1 fusion protein and a type 2 attachment protein is common to all paramyxoviruses, there is considerable variation in viral attachment, the...

Measles virus (MeV), a member of the paramyxovirus family of enveloped RNA viruses and one of the most infectious viral pathogens identified, accounts for major pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide although coordinated efforts to achieve global measles control are in place. Target cell entry is mediated by two viral envelope glycoproteins, the attachment (H) and fusion (F) proteins, whic...

Paramyxoviruses include major pathogens with significant global health and economic impact. This large family of enveloped RNA viruses infects cells by employing two surface glycoproteins that tightly cooperate to fuse their lipid envelopes with the target cell plasma membrane, an attachment and a fusion (F) protein. Membrane fusion is believed to depend on receptor-induced conformational chang...