title: Errant processing and structural alterations of genomes present in a varicella-zoster virus vaccine.
abstract: Five minority populations of aberrant, varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-derived genomes were identified among the encapsidated DNAs obtained from the nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions of an in vitro infection initiated with a lyophilized sample of the BIKEN VZV vaccine (strain Oka). These were (i) VZV genomes, present within nuclear but not cytoplasmic viral capsids, which had been cleaved at a specific site within the short segment and which were, therefore, 3.15 megadaltons (approximately 4% of the VZV genome length) short of full length; (ii) highly deleted, repetitive VZV genomes which contained the errant cleavage site but not the usual VZV genome terminal sequences; (iii) VZV genomes into which multiples of 1 through 5 defective genome repeat units had been inserted into a homologous site; (iv) VZV genomes with additions of 0.1 or 0.18 megadaltons of DNA at both the terminal and internal ends of the short segment; and (v) VZV DNA which had lost the HindIII restriction site at map position 0.11.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Vlazny
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hyman
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines