Basic Morphology
Electron microscopy (EM) revealed that Mumps virus (MuV), like other members of the Paramyxoviridae, has an enveloped virion of roughly spherical or pleiomorphic (variable) shape. Paramyxovirus particles can have sizes ranging from 120–450 nm in diameter.
These particles consist of what is known as a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex: a single-stranded, linear RNA genome coated by nucleocapsid proteins (NP) in association with an RNA polymerase complex of both large (L) and phosphoprotein (P) subunits. It has been estimated that over 2,000 such NP molecules coat the genome along with about 250 P and 25 L molecules.
This RNP structure interacts with the viral envelope via matrix (M) proteins that are evenly distributed around the virion. The envelope, a lipid bilayer derived from the host-cell plasma membrane, harbours multiple copies of a number of glycoproteins required for virus entry and exit: hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), fusion (F), and the small hydrophobic (SH) protein.
This molecular assembly of protein, RNA, and lipids allows a single virus to bind to and infect specific cells and replicate itself and finally exit the cell to be transmitted to the next susceptible host.
Read more about this topic: Mumps Virus
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