Variations of nucleotide sequences and transcription of the SH gene among mumps virus strains.

We have compared nucleotide sequences of the SH genes as well as their flanking regions of six mumps virus strains and found a high amino acid diversity (up to 23%) of the putative SH proteins among these strains. It was found, in addition, that one of these strains (Enders strain) contained a point mutation in putative polyadenylation signal for the F gene mRNA (TTTAGAAAAAAA to TTTAGAAGAAAA). Northern blot analysis showed that the Enders strain was also unique in that neither monocistronic SH nor bicistronic SH-HN mRNA could be detected in the cells infected with this particular strain.