title: Identification and characterization of the genomic termini and cleavage/packaging signals of gallid herpesvirus type 2.
abstract: Herpesvirus replication within host cells results in concatemeric genomic DNA, which is cleaved into unit-length genomes and packaged into the capsid by a complex of proteins. The sites of cleavage have been identified for many herpesviruses, and conserved signaling sequences involved in cleavage and packaging have been characterized. The cleavage/packaging motifs pac-1, pac-2, and DR1 and two distinct groups of telomeric repeat sequences (static TRS and variable TRS) have been identified. By sequencing the termini of the gallid herpesvirus type 2 (GaHV-2) strain CU-2, two different cleavage sites (classical and aberrant) have been identified. Unlike classical cleavage of human herpesvirus type 1, which occurs within the DR1 site, classical cleavage of the GaHV-2 concatemers occurs 8.5 bp upstream of the DR1 site and results in an S-terminus containing telomeric repeats. Aberrant cleavage occurs the same distance from the DR1 site and generates a telomeric S-terminus but an L-terminus lacking an a sequence. These results are consistent with previous findings in other herpesviruses and should prove useful in the future study and manipulation of the GaHV-2 genome.
authors.affiliation: BASE2BIO, Madison, WI 53714, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Volkening
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Spatz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000662:veterinary; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008381:Herpesvirus 2, Gallid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000821:virology; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013728:Terminator Regions, Genetic; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral