Key Points

• Paramyxoviruses
  • Characteristics
    • RNA viruses
      • replicate in the cytoplasm of cells
      • Single-stranded
    • - sense
    • Linear chromosome
    • Nonsegmented
    • Enveloped
      • Obtained by budding through plasma membrane of host cell
    • Helical capsid
    • Viral membrane contains antigens
      • Hemagglutinin
        • Binds sialic acid and promotes viral entry
      • Neuraminidase
        • Promotes progeny virion release
      • Matrix protein
        • Used for viral assembly
      • F (fusion) protein
        • Responsible for fusion of viral membrane with host cell, releasing nucleocapsid core into the target cell
        • Can also induce cell-cell fusion of membranes in respiratory epithelia, forming multinucleated cells