Genome The mumps virus contains a nonsegmented, single-stranded, linear genome that is 15,384 nucleotides in length and made of ribonucleic acid (RNA). The genome has negative sense, so mRNA can be transcribed directly from the genome. Mumps virus encodes seven genes in the following order: • nucleocapsid (N) protein, • V/P/I (V/phospho-(P)/I) proteins, • matrix (M) protein, the most abundant protein in virions, • fusion (F) protein, • small hydrophobic (SH) transmembrane protein, •
hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), and • the large (L) protein, which combines with the P protein to form the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). RdRp acts as both a
replicase to replicate the genome and as a
transcriptase to transcribe mRNA from the genome. The SH protein is thought to be involved in blocking NF(α)-mediated apoptosis of the host cell, which is done as an antiviral response to suppress the spread of viruses, though SH is not necessary for replication since MuVs engineered without SH are still able to replicate. The V protein is also involved in evading host antiviral responses by means of inhibiting production and signalling of
interferons. Unlike the other proteins, the I protein's function is unknown.
Life cycle MuV first interacts with a host cell by binding to its surface via the HN protein's receptor,
sialic acid, which binds to sialic acid receptors on the surface of host cells. Following attachment, the F protein is triggered and begins fusing the viral envelope with the host cell's membrane. The F protein does so by changing from a metastable state to refolding to a more stable hairpin structure, which allows the contents of the virion, including the RNP, to be released into the host cell's cytoplasm. The V and P proteins are encoded by the same gene, so while transcribing mRNA, RdRp
edits the mRNA by inserting two non-templated
guanines into the mRNA to transcribes mRNA for the P protein. Later in the replication cycle, once a sufficient number of nucleoproteins are present after translation, RdRp switches functions to replicate the genome. This occurs in a two-step process: first, a positive-sense antigenome is synthesized by RdRp from the negative-sense genome, and second, negative-sense genomic RNA strands are in turn synthesized by RdRp from the antigenome. During this process, the antigenome and newly replicated genomes are encapsidated by the nucleoprotein at the same time as replication. Budding from the host cell begins once M proteins recruit host class E proteins that form
endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) structures at the site of budding. There, ESCRT proteins form into concentric spirals and push the contents of the virion outward from the cell in the form of a vesicle that protrudes from the cell. The ESCRT proteins then constrict the opening of the vesicle and terminate budding by cutting off the vesicle from the rest of the membrane, forming a complete virion that is released from the host cell. During this process, the neuraminidase of HN proteins aids in separation from the host membrane and prevents virion aggregation. The different genotypes vary in frequency from region to region. For example, genotypes C, D, H, and J are more common in the western hemisphere, whereas genotypes F, G, and I are more common in Asia, although genotype G is considered to be a global genotype. Genotypes A and B have not been observed in the wild since the 1990s. This diversity of MuV is not reflected in the antibody response since because there is only one serotype, antibodies to one genotype are also functional against all others.
Evolution The F, SH, HN genes, used to distinguish genotypes, are estimated to experience
genetic mutations at a rate of substitutions per site per year, which is considered to be a very low mutation rate for an RNA virus. Phylogenetic analysis of the entire SH gene indicates that genotypes A and J are related in one branch and split apart from the other genotypes. In that second branch, genotype I is a sister clade of the other genotypes, which cluster into five sequential sister clades: G and H; D and K; C; L; and B, F, and N. ==Disease==