MeV N

Measles virus (MeV) is a single-stranded, negative-sense, enveloped (non-segmented) RNA virus of the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae. Humans are the natural hosts of the virus; no animal reservoirs are known to exist. The nucleocapsid (NC) has a helical structure with either 12.35 or 11.64 N per turn, approximately 20 nm in diameter, with a hollow central cavity approximately 5 nm in diameter. The encapsidated genomic RNA is termed the NC and serves as template for transcription and replication. During replication, encapsidation by N is coupled to RNA synthesis and all replicative products are resistant to nucleases. N is released in the blood following lysis of measles infected cells, it interacts then with human FCGR2B on immune cells, inducing apoptosis and blocking inflammatory immune response. Ntail binds to a protein on human thymic epithelial cells, termed Nucleoprotein Receptor (NR), inducing growth arrest.