Evidence that the matrix protein of influenza C virus is coded for by a spliced mRNA

Abstract

In contrast to influenza A and B viruses, which encode their matrix (M) proteins via an unspliced mRNA, the influenza C virus M protein appears to be coded for by a spliced mRNA from RNA segment 6. Although an open reading frame in RNA segment 6 of influenza C/JJ/50 virus could potentially code for a protein of 374 amino acids, a splicing event results in an mRNA coding for a 242-amino-acid M protein. The message for this protein represents the major M gene-specific mRNA species in C virus-infected cells. Despite the difference in coding strategies, there are sequence homologies among the M proteins of influenza A, B, and C viruses which confirm the evolutionary relationship of the three influenza virus types.