Sequence of the nucleoprotein gene of influenza A/parrot/Ulster/73

The nucleotide sequence of the nucleoprotein (NP) gene of the avian influenza A virus strain A/parrot/Ulster/73 (H7N1) has been determined. The gene (RNA segment 5) consists of 1565 bases. The only large open reading frame of the complementary RNA codes for a protein of 498 amino acids. A comparison of its sequence with that of three other influenza virus NPs shows that the NP of the parrot Ulster strain, although closely related to the NP of the other avian strain (A/FPV/Rostock/34), is definitely more closely related genetically to the NPs of the two human influenza strains, A/PR/8/34 and A/NT/60/68 than that of FPV. This raises the question how far the NP gene can cross the species barrier by reassortment and become adapted by mutation to the new host.