title: Influencing of ionizing radiation on herpes simplex virus and its genome.
abstract: The effects of cobalt-60 gamma-rays, 10 MeV electrons and 52 MeV deutrons on the survival of plaque-forming ability has been studied in various strains of herpes simplex virus (HSV). The results show that the D0 for the loss of plaque-forming ability in different HSV strains lies in the range 1-3 kGy. Irradiation of isolated HSV-1 DNA with cobalt-60 gamma-rays resulted in damage, as indicated by electrophoresis of purified viral DNA and by restriction endonuclease analysis, at doses of 1 kGy, with complete loss of structure at doses above 4 kGy. The infectivity of the irradiated naked DNA was lost at doses above 4 kGy, but after irradiation of the intact virus some plaque-forming ability was retained after doses of 10 or even 40 kGy. Thus the organization within the viral capsid may play a protective role by modifying the severity of the radiation damage, and preserving at least some degree of infectivity.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Virologie der Universität Heidelberg, F.R. Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rösen
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Darai
mesh_terms: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D003903:Deuterium; D004583:Electrons; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011831:Radiation Genetics; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D003903:Deuterium