Measles virus P gene codes for two proteins

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Abstract
The entirety of the phosphoprotein gene of measles virus was sequenced. The gene is composed of 1657 nucleotides and specifies a 507-amino-acid protein (P). A second overlapping reading frame was predicted from the sequence and specifies a 186-amino-acid protein (C). Through the use of antisynthetic peptide antibodies, it was shown that both proteins are expressed in virally infected African green monkey kidney cells. Both proteins are expressed from a functionally bicistronic mRNA through independent initiation of ribosomes at the respective AUG codons. Using immunofluorescent microscopy, the C protein was localized in the nucleus and in cytoplasmic inclusions within the infected cells.