Human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3) genome RNA is transcribed and replicated by the virus-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and specific cellular proteins play a regulatory role in these processes. To search for cellular proteins potentially interacting with HPIV3 cis-acting regulatory RNAs, a gel mobility shift assay was used. Two cellular proteins specifically interacted with the viral cis-acting RNAs containing the genomic 3 -noncoding region and the plus-sense leader sequence region. Surprisingly, by biochemical and immunological analyses, one of the cellular proteins was identified as the key glycolytic enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). The other protein was characterized as the autoantigen, LA protein. Both GAPDH and LA protein also interacted with the same cis-acting RNA sequences in vivo and were found to be associated with the HPIV3 ribonucleoprotein complex in the infected cells. By double immunofluorescent labeling, GAPDH was found to be co-localized with viral ribonucleoprotein in the perinuclear region. These observations strongly suggest that cellular GAPDH and LA Protein participate in the regulation of HPIV3 gene expression.The human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3), 1 belonging to the paramyxovirus family, is one of the major causes of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in infants (1). HPIV3 contains a negative strand RNA genome that is encapsidated by a nucleocapsid protein NP (68 kDa) and tightly associated with two RNA polymerase subunits, a large protein L (251 kDa) and a phosphoprotein P (90 kDa), to form the viral ribonucleoprotein (RNP) core (2, 3). The encapsidated genome RNA serves as a template for transcription to synthesize a leader RNA and six mRNAs as well as in replication to synthesize full-length genome RNA, both mediated by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Recent studies demonstrate that participation of specific cellular proteins is critical for the regulation of gene expression of HPIV3 (4, 5). Protein kinase C-has been implicated in the phosphorylation of the virion-associated RNA polymerase subunit, the phosphoprotein P (5). Introduction of protein kinase C--specific peptide inhibitor in cultured cells abrogated HPIV3 replication providing strong evidence that protein kinase C-is involved in the HPIV3 life cycle (5). Another cellular protein, actin, was found to be required in transcription of purified viral RNP in vitro and was found to be involved in maintaining a moderately coiled structure of the RNP that appeared to facilitate transcription of the genome RNA by the RNA polymerase (4). The productive infection of HPIV3, thus, appears to require a close encounter between the viral genome and several cellular proteins. A detailed search of such putative cellular proteins and their characterization would lead to better understanding of their roles in the regulation of the intricate steps in viral gene expression.Sequence analysis of HPIV3 genome RNA reveals the presence of a sequence element at the 3Ј-end that serves as the binding site o...