Nucleotide sequence analysis of the large (L) genes of phocine distemper virus and canine distemper virus (corrected sequence)

This paper corrects the previously published sequence of the L gene of canine distemper virus (CDV). Errors in the published sequence (M.S. Sidhu et al., 1993, Virology 193, 50-65) led to frame shifts between residues 1021-1032, 1190-1219 and 1645-1650; a deletion of 21 amino acids between residues 1684-1705, and a single residue deletion at residue 1478. Residue 237 is now found to be glycine rather than tryptophan and residue 1626 proline instead of threonine. The sequence of the L gene of phocine distemper virus (PDV) was also determined. Alignment of the morbillivirus L proteins showed that PDV and CDV are more closely related to each other than to rinderpest virus and measles virus. Two regions of low identity are proposed to function as hinge regions between three highly conserved domains (I-III) in the morbillivirus L proteins. New sequence motifs have been identified on the basis of conservation in the morbilliviruses and the Paramyxovirinae.