Mutation spectra of herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase mutants.
To examine whether the exonuclease activity intrinsic to the polymerase (Pol) of herpes simplex virus type 1 can influence the mutational spectra, we applied the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) system combined with sequencing to characterize thymidine kinase mutants isolated from both the wild-type virus and a mutant deficient in exonuclease activity, Y7. Wild-type viruses produced predominantly frameshift mutations (67%), whereas Y7 replicated a significantly lower proportion of frameshifts (21%; P < 0.005). Furthermore, the majority of substitutions were transitional changes in both groups, although they distributed differently. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Lu
Qiaosheng
Q
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA.
Hwang
Ying T
YT
Hwang
Charles B C
CB
D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D005814:Genes, Viral; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016296:Mutagenesis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics*
D013937:Thymidine Kinase