title: Optimized assay for thymidine kinase and its application to the detection of antibodies against herpes simplex virus type 1- and 2-induced thymidine kinase.
abstract: An optimized assay for herpes simplex virus type 1- and 2-induced deoxythymidine kinase (dTk) is described which used [125I]iododeoxyuridine (IUdr) as a substrate. Values for Km and Vsat were determined for both viral and cellular dTK, using either deoxythymidine or IUdR as a substrate. A comparison between the two substrates revealed that higher reaction velocities and lower Km values were obtained with IUdR. A standard assay was designed which uses 10(-7) M IUdR as a substrate. This assay can detect herpes simplex-induced dTK from as few as two infected cells and is several orders of magnitude more sensitive than conventional dTK assays which use 10(-5) M dT as a substrate. An easily detectable blocking activity, which was shown to be mainly confined to the immunoglobulin G antibody class, was found in most human sera which were positive for complement-fixing antibody against herpes simplex virus.
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007065:Idoxuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D007065:Idoxuridine