Complete nucleotide sequence of the neuraminidase gene of influenza B virus.

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Abstract
The complete nucleotide sequence of the neuraminidase gene of influenza virus B/Lee/40 was derived from a cloned c[complementary]DNA copy of virion RNA segment 6 and its corresponding mRNA. The RNA segment contains 1557 virus-specific nucleotides, and the protein encoded by the longest open reading frame has a total of 466 amino acids with a MW of 51,721. As is the case with the influenza A virus neuraminidases, the deduced amino acid sequence of the influenza B protein includes a single hydrophobic region near the amino terminus which would be capable of spanning the lipid bilayer of the viral or cell membrane. There are 4 potential glycosylation sites in the protein, 2 of which are near the amino-terminal hydrophobic region. Comparisons of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences with those of influenza A virus neuraminidases revealed 7 regions of extensive homology within the central portion of the molecules, including 12 conserved cysteine residues. Five other cysteine residues in the terminal portions were also conserved.