Identification of a novel expressed open reading frame situated between genes U(L)20 and U(L)21 of the herpes simplex virus 1 genome.
An open reading frame (ORF) situated between the U(L)20 and U(L)21 genes encodes a protein designated as U(L)20.5. The U(L)20.5 ORF lies 5' and in the same orientation as the U(L)20 ORF. The expression of the U(L)20.5 ORF was verified by RNase protection assays and by in-frame insertion of an amino acid sequence encoding an epitope of an available monoclonal antibody. The tagged U(L)20.5 protein colocalized in small dense nuclear structures with products of the alpha22/U(S)1.5, U(L)3, and U(L)4 genes. Expression of the U(L)20.5 gene was blocked in cells infected and maintained in the presence of phosphonoacetate, indicating that it belongs to the late, or gamma(2), kinetic class. U(L)20.5 is not essential for viral replication inasmuch as a recombinant virus made by insertion of the thymidine kinase gene into the U(L)20.5 ORF replicates in all cell lines tested [J. D. Baines, P. L. Ward, G. Campadelli-Fiume, and B. Roizman (1991) J. Virol. 65, 6414-6424]. The genomic location of the recently discovered genes illustrates the compact nature of the viral genome.
Ward
P L
PL
The Marjorie B. Kovler Viral Oncology Laboratories, The University of Chicago, 910 E. 58th Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, USA.
Taddeo
B
B
Markovitz
N S
NS
Roizman
B
B
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000821:virology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D000939:Epitopes / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005814:Genes, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011817:Rabbits; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D014709:Vero Cells; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers; D000939:Epitopes; C121742:UL20 protein, Herpes simplex virus type 1; D014764:Viral Proteins; C086728:UL21 protein, herpes simplex virus 1