Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 contains two functional lytic origins of replication.
A 1.25-kbp DNA fragment from the right side of the genome containing the lytic origin of replication (oriLyt) of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) has been identified by a plasmid replication assay. Here we show that a mutant MHV-68 with a deletion of an essential part of this oriLyt, generated by using an MHV-68 bacterial artificial chromosome, was only slightly attenuated and still able to replicate but that a mutant containing an additional deletion on the left side of the genome was replication deficient. The newly identified region was sufficient to support plasmid replication, thus providing evidence for a second oriLyt.
Adler
Heiko
H
Institute of Molecular Immunology, Clinical Cooperation Group Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Marchioninistrasse 25, D-81377 Munich, Germany. h.adler@gsf.de
Steer
Beatrix
B
Freimüller
Klaus
K
Haas
Jürgen
J
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D016679:Genome, Viral; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018741:Replication Origin / Q000235:genetics*; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics*