Nucleoprotein

Rabies virus (RABV), scientific name Rabies lyssavirus, is a deadly neurotropic virus that causes rabies in humans and animals. Rabies virus has an extremely wide host range and its transmission most often occur through the saliva of animals. Without intervention prior to disease progression, rabies has the highest case fatality of any infectious disease. RABV contains a single-stranded negative-sense RNA genome that encodes five structural proteins: nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L). Encapsidates the genome in a ratio of one protein N per nine ribonucleotides, protecting it from nucleases. If expressed without protein P it binds non-specifically RNA and therefore can bind it's own mRNA. Interaction with protein P abolishes any non-specific RNA binding, and prevents phosphorylation.