We previously determined the 3' proximal 5,824 nucleotides of the Sendai virus genome RNA (Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 7317-7330, 1983; Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 7965-7973, 1984), and present here the sequence of the remaining 5' proximal 9,559 nucleotides. Thus, this is the first paramyxovirus to have its genome organization elucidated. The set of complementary DNA clones used was prepared by the method of Okayama and Berg from polyadenylylated viral genome RNA. We sequenced the region containing the 5' proximal half of the F gene, and the subsequent HN and L genes, and predicted the complete amino acid sequence of the products of these genes. Sequence analyses confirmed that all the genes are flanked by consensus sequences and suggest that the viral mRNAs are capable of forming stem-and-loop structures. Comparison of the F and HN glycoproteins of Sendai virus with those of simian virus 5 strongly suggests that the cysteine residues are highly important for maintenance of the molecular structures of these glycoproteins.

The sequence of 3,687 nucleotides from the 3' end of the Sendai virus genome (Z strain) was determined by a molecular cloning technique followed by rapid sequence analysis. Two large open reading frames, one consisting of 1,572 nucleotides and the other of 1,704 nucleotides, were observed in the region, that is OP-1 and OP-2 from the 3' end of the genome. The amino acid sequences of the gene products were predicted from the observed sequence. Determination of amino acid compositions of viral proteins, P, HN, Fo, NP and M, led us to conclude that NP and P are the gene products of OP-1 and OP-2, respectively. An additional open reading frame consisting of 612 nucleotides (OP-3) was discovered in the 3' most proximal region of OP-2. The predicted product of OP-3 was considered to be viral non-structural protein C. The leader sequence of 51 nucleotides at the 3' terminal of the genome and consensus sequences at 3' and 5' ends of each gene for proteins NP and P were identified.

The size-selective photoetching technique was used to control the size of a CdS nanoparticle inside a silica shell. With monochromatic light irradiation, the diffuse reflectance spectra of silica-coated CdS nanoparticles were blue-shifted, and the size of the resulting CdS nanoparticles incorporated in the silica shells was adjustable by varying the wavelength of irradiated light. TEM observation revealed that the original CdS nanoparticle seemed to be in close contact with the amorphous silica shell to leave almost no clearance, while the monochromatic light irradiation caused the decrease in the size of CdS particles, resulting in the formation of a void space between the photoetched CdS core particle and the silica shell. The average void spaces available in the shells were calculated to be ca. 1.4 and 2.4 nm with the irradiation at 514 and 458 nm, respectively. These results indicated that the size-selective photoetching technique enables the regulation of void space formed in the core-shell structure by choosing the wavelength of irradiation light.

Electric-field-induced changes in absorption and emission spectra of colloidal CdS nanoparticles ranging in size from 1.0 to 5.0 nm in diameter have been measured by using electric field modulation spectroscopy. The analysis of the electroabsorption spectra indicates that the dipole moment in the first exciton state becomes larger with increasing particle size. The presence of the large dipole moment following photoexcitation into the first exciton band suggests that the CdS nanoparticles have large CT character in the first exciton state. The quantum yields both of the exciton emission and of the trap emission are markedly reduced by application of an electric field. On the basis of the direct measurements of the field-induced change in emission decay profile, it is suggested that the field-induced de-enhancement of these emission yields results from the field-induced decreases both in lifetime and in initial population of each emitting state. It is also found that the emission intensity of CdS nanoparticles increases under the UV light irradiation in air and decreases in a vacuum condition and that fluorescence lifetime in the former case is longer than that in the latter. This enhancement and de-enhancement process in emission intensity is almost reversible at least in several cycles.