title: Structure and role of the herpes simplex virus DNA termini in inversion, circularization and generation of virion DNA.
abstract: The herpes simplex virus genome consists of two components, L and S, which invert relative to each other during viral replication. The a sequence is present at the genomic termini in direct orientation and at the L-S junction in inverted orientation. Previously, we showed that insertion of a fragment spanning the L-S junction into the viral genome causes additional inversions. In this study, we determine the nucleotide sequence of the genomic termini and show that insertion of either the free S terminus or the L terminus causes inversions in the viral genome. We conclude that the a sequence is the inversion-specific sequence, that linear unit-length molecules packaged in virions are generated by cleavage between adjacent copies of the a sequence, that cleavage produces 3' single-base extensions on the genomic termini and that the signal for cleavage is contained within the a sequence.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D007446:Chromosome Inversion; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000235:genetics*; D004274:DNA, Recombinant / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D007668:Kidney; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004270:DNA, Circular; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes