Notes on Genus: Henipavirus

enveloped spheres

Type member: Hendra virus

General Description

The genus Henipavirus is one of nine genera in the family Paramyxoviridae and contains contains viruses that produce a non-strutural protein C, a glycoprotein and translate protein V from an edited RNA transcript. Genomes (18.2 kb) are substantially larger than those of most other genera. It is named from the two viruses Hendra and Nipah viruses that have been allocated to the genus.

Morphology

Virions pleomorphic but usually spherical, enveloped, 150 nm in diameter or larger with spike-like projections.

Genome

Monopartite single-stranded negative sense RNA of about 18.2 kb. There is no genome-linked protein (VPg) at the 5'-terminus nor a 3'-polyA tail.

Genus Genomic Organization

There are 6 transcriptional elements (mRNA species). Their major ORFs are listed here in their order on the template strand - i.e. from 3' to 5' with respect to the virion strand:

1	N	58 kDa	Coat protein (nucleocapsid)
2	P	78 kDa	Phosphoprotein
3	C	20 kDa	Non-structural protein from same mRNA transcript as P but in a different reading frame
4	V	50-51 kDa	Produced from the P transcript by RNA editing: shares the N-terminus of P but then has a frame shift
5	M	40 kDa	Matrix protein
6	F	60 kDa	Fusion protein: glycosylated envelope protein
7	G	67 kDa	Glycoprotein attachment protein
8	L	257 kDa	Polymerase

Type Member Genomic Organization