THE NEWCASTLE-DISEASE VIRUS V-PROTEIN BINDS ZINC - BRIEF REPORT

The V protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is produced by the inse rtion of a single nontemplated G residue at a specific point during tr anscription of the phosphoprotein (P) gene, accessing a new reading fr ame upon translation. The V protein, in common with its counterpart in other paramyxoviruses contains a highly cysteine rich motif near the carboxyl terminus, suggestive of a zinc-binding domain. By constructin g E. coli overexpression plasmids for the NDV P and V proteins, and mo nitoring the binding of (ZnCl2)-Zn-65 to proteins electroblotted onto nitrocellulose membranes, we have demonstrated that the V protein stro ngly binds zinc.