Matrix protein of chandipura virus inhibits transcription from an RNA polymerase II promoter

Chandipura virus (CHPV) is a Vesiculovirus, related to, but phylogeneticall y distinct from, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The matrix protein of VS V, as well as its role in virus assembly, inhibits the transcription from p romoters for host RNA polymerases I and II. Cloning and expression of the m atrix protein of CHPV in human cells showed that this protein is also funct ional in its inhibitory effect on transcription of a reporter gene from the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter, despite sharing only 28% amino a cid sequence identity with the matrix protein of VSV.