title: A non-cytotoxic herpes simplex virus vector which expresses Cre recombinase directs efficient site specific recombination.
abstract: The coding sequences for the bacteriophage P1 recombinase Cre were cloned into the genome of a herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) mutant which is severely impaired for the synthesis of immediate early (IE) proteins. The resulting recombinant, virus in1372, expressed functional Cre which mediated the excision in trans of loxP-flanked sequences located in the HSV-1 genome, both in tissue culture cells and in vivo in mouse sensory neurons. Infection with in1372 also resulted in recombination, at high efficiency, between loxP sequences in the cellular genome without causing detectable cytotoxicity. Mutant in1372 is a versatile vector for the delivery of Cre in tissue culture and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Virology Unit, Church Street, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Preston
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009154:Mutation; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases