title: An antigen encoded by the latency-associated transcript in neuronal cell cultures latently infected with herpes simplex virus type 1.
abstract: During latent infection of neurons with herpes simplex virus type 1, viral transcription is restricted to the latency-associated transcripts (LATs). These RNAs contain open reading frames, but detection of a protein encoded by the LATs has not been reported. We used immunocytochemical techniques to demonstrate that an antiserum directed against a bacterially expressed fusion protein containing part of a LAT-encoded polypeptide recognized an antigen present in primary neurons latently infected in vitro. This antigen (called LAA, for latency-associated antigen) was not detected in mock-infected neurons, in productively infected Vero cells, or in neurons latently infected with a mutant virus carrying a deletion in the LAT gene. By Western immunoblot analysis, we demonstrated the presence of a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 80 kDa recognized by the anti-LAA antiserum in latently infected neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doerig
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Pizer
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wilcox
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005814:Genes, Viral; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009474:Neurons / Q000382:microbiology*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins