PRESENCE OF A TRUNCATED FORM OF THE SENDAI VIRUS P-PROTEIN IN A LONG-TERM PERSISTENT INFECTION - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PERSISTENT STATE
In this report we have monitored viral gene expression, both at the RNA and protein level, after the establishment of a long-term persistent infection of sendai virus. The persistent infection was initially established by infecting BHK cells with a viral stock containing a short (1.4 kb) copy-back Dl (DIH4). After over 120 weeks in culture this short copy-back Dl had been replaced by two large deletion Dls (approximately 7 and 12 kb) from which was expressed an N-terminally truncated form of the P protein. The mRNA for this protein was detected in cells and the deletion within the P gene was mapped by PCR cloning and sequencing of intracellular nucleocapsid RNA. This truncated P protein (derived by deleting the N-terminal half of the cloned Pwt gene) has already been shown to function as a dominant negative for Dl replication when driven by cloned viral genes. Cloning and expression of the truncated P from the long-term persistent: infection revealed that this protein had retained the dominant negative phenotype. The presence of such a protein would severely depress viral gene expression and may therefore play an important role in the maintenance of persistence. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.