Characterization of the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded thymidine kinase expressed in heterologous eucaryotic and procaryotic systems.
The establishment of mammalian and procaryotic systems which express the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) thymidine kinase (TK) has been reported previously (E. Littler, J. Zeuthen, A. A. McBride, E. Trøst-Sørensen, K. L. Powell, J. E. Walsh-Arrand, and J. R. Arrand, EMBO J. 5:1959-1966, 1986). The EBV TK activity expressed in both of these systems was characterized by in vitro assays and found to resemble that of the herpes simplex virus TK both in its broad range of nucleoside and nucleotide utilization and also in its ability to accept antiviral nucleoside analogs as substrates. Further results are presented which suggest that these in vitro systems may prove suitable for studying the potential anti-EBV activity of other candidate antiviral compounds.
Littler
E
E
Department of Molecular Biology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute, Withington, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Arrand
J R
JR
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000201:enzymology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis
D003561:Cytarabine; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D000212:Acyclovir