title: Retention of nonlinear viral DNA during herpes simplex virus latency in vitro.
abstract: We investigated the state of the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) genome during latency in vitro. Latent DNA was present in the cell nucleus in a nonlinear configuration. The joint fragment was represented at approximately double the molar concentration of fragments from unique regions, indicating that genome termini had fused. The HSV-2 genome copy number was estimated to be between 1.5 and 8, with a mean value of 4.5 per latently infected cell. Nonlinear HSV DNA can therefore exist during latency both in vivo and in vitro.
authors.affiliation: MRC Virology Unit, Institute of Virology, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral