cDNA cloning of the nucleocapsid and nucleocapsid-associated protein genes of mumps virus.

cDNA clones of the mumps virus N and P messenger RNAs were isolated from an infected cell cDNA library. The N and P clones selected the two predominant polyadenylated RNAs found in mumps virus-infected cells with mol. wt. of 0.69 X 10(6) and 0.51 X 10(6), respectively. In addition, clones of the P gene hybridized to and selected mRNAs of higher mol. wt. probably representing polycistronic transcripts of the mumps genome. Hybrid-select translation experiments confirmed the specificity of the clones as representing the nucleocapsid (N) and nucleocapsid-associated protein (P) genes.