Nucleotide Sequence of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Phosphoprotein Gene

A cDNA library was prepared from poly(A)+ RNA extracted from respiratory syncytial (RS) virus-infected HEp-2 cells. A recombinant plasmid, pRSP68, encoding the RS virus phosphoprotein gene was identified by translation in vitro of hybrid-selected mRNA. The cloned cDNA insert of 1 kb was sequenced and a polypeptide of 241 amino acids with a molecular weight of 27 166 was deduced from the sequence. The protein was relatively rich in polar amino acids and devoid of both cysteine and tryptophan. A second short open reading frame with a coding potential of 65 amino acids was identified and overlapped the 3' terminus of the phosphoprotein gene by 34 bases.