Analysis of the matrix protein gene sequence of the Asian lineage of peste-des-petits ruminants vaccine virus

The M gene nucleotide sequence of an Indian peste-des-petits ruminants (PPRV) vaccine virus (PPRV Sungri/96) belonging to Asian lineage was determined. The gene is 1476 nucleotides long with a single open reading frame (ORF). The nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence was compared with the homologous region of the African Lineage Vaccine virus PPRV/Nigeria/75/1. The nucleotide sequence of the PPRV Sungri/96 was 86% identical to that of PPRV/Nigeria/75/1, while a homology of 93% and 95% could be observed in the ORF and amino acids level, respectively. The M gene encodes a protein of 335 amino acids, with a predicted molecular weight (MW) of 37.8 kDa. The ORF is flanked by a 3' untranslated region of 436 nucleotides and a high level of sequence divergence (similar to 30%) could be observed in this region between the vaccine viruses of Asian and African lineages. A high degree of conservation of several amino acids of this protein observed previously was also confirmed in this study. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.