Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 homology in the region between 0.58 and 0.68 map units

Aptamer-based therapeutics: new approaches to combat human viral diseases

Viruses replicate inside the cells of an organism and continuously evolve to contend with an ever-changing environment. Many life-threatening diseases, such as AIDS, SARS, hepatitis and some cancers, are caused by viruses. Because viruses have small genome sizes and high mutability, there is currently a lack of and an urgent need for effective treatment for many viral pathogens. One approach that has recently received much attention is aptamer-based therapeutics. Aptamer technology has high target specificity and versatility, i.e., any viral proteins could potentially be targeted. Consequently, new aptamer-based therapeutics have the potential to lead a revolution in the development of anti-infective drugs. Additionally, aptamers can potentially bind any targets and any pathogen that is theoretically amenable to rapid targeting, making aptamers invaluable tools for treating a wide range of diseases. This review will provide a broad, comprehensive overview of viral therapies that use aptamers. The aptamer selection process will be described, followed by an explanation of the potential for treating virus infection by aptamers. Recent progress and prospective use of aptamers against a large variety of human viruses, such as HIV-1, HCV, HBV, SCoV, Rabies virus, HPV, HSV and influenza virus, with particular focus on clinical development of aptamers will also be described. Finally, we will discuss the challenges of advancing antiviral aptamer therapeutics and prospects for future success.

Analysis of genetic variability of populations of herpes simplex viruses

An analysis of genetic variability of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 populations of the Madrid (Spain) area has been carried out by digestion of viral DNA with restriction endonucleases. The index of nucleotide diversity indicated that herpes simplex virus type 1 has a slightly, although statistically significant, higher degree of heterogeneity than type 2. A phylogenetic tree for each type of virus has been constructed. The evolutionary pattern followed by both types of viruses ('star-like' topology) suggest that all the isolates analyzed evolved from a unique origin for each type of virus.

Rapid detection of herpes simplex virus DNA by in situ hybridization with photobiotin-labelled double-stranded DNA probes

An assay for rapid detection of herpes simplex virus in infected cells is described. The assay utilizes in situ hybridization with photobiotin-labelled double-stranded DNA probes prepared from HSV-1 DNA cloned in plasmid vectors. The assay provided an alternative method for earlier detection of virus in cell cultures with the ease of preparation of photobiotin-labelled double-stranded DNA.

DNA sequence and RNA transcription through a site of recombination in a non-neurovirulent herpes simplex virus intertypic recombinant

RE6 is a herpes simplex type-1 (HSV-1) X herpes simplex type-2 (HSV-2) intertypic recombinant that cannot replicate in the adult mouse nervous system. In the accompanying report, we have shown that HSV-1 sequences between 0.698 and 0.721 map units can restore a partial neurovirulent phenotype to RE6. In this report, we have used comparative DNA sequence analysis of RE6, 17syn+ (HSV-1) and HG52 (HSV-2) to demonstrate that this region contains a site of recombination between HSV-1 and HSV-2 sequences in RE6. High resolution transcription analysis has demonstrated that three readily detected transcripts are present in this region of the genome. In addition, the 5' end of a low abundance 5 kb transcript was also located in the right-hand portion of this region. All the transcripts encoded by HSV-1 and HSV-2 in this region of the genome are expressed by the RE6 recombinant. This and our sequence data suggest that the lack of neurovirulence in RE6 is not due to a simple loss in the expression of a transcript or to a defect in a protein encoded by a gene at the site of recombination.

Search for HSV DNA in genital, cerebral and labial tumors

DNA sequences homologous to HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNA fragments were searched in 64 genital, 35 labial and 34 cerebral tumors. Southern blot transfers of tumor and control DNAs were hybridized in stringent conditions with 32P labelled probes from HSV-1 and HSV-2 cloned DNA fragments. Specific hybridization to HSV-2 BglII N fragment was observed in six (9.4%) genital tumors. Labial and cerebral tumors did not show hybridization to any of the probes used. The technique employed allowed the detection of 0.1 copies of viral fragments per diploid genome.

Expression of herpes simplex virus glycoproteins in polarized epithelial cells

Members of the herpesvirus family mature at inner nuclear membranes, although a fraction of the viral glycoproteins is expressed on the cell surface. In this study, we investigated the localization of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) glycoproteins in virus-infected epithelial cells by using a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against each of the major viral glycoproteins. All of the HSV-2 glycoproteins were localized exclusively on the basolateral membranes of Vero C1008, Madin-Darby bovine kidney, and mouse mammary epithelial cells. Using a monoclonal antibody to HSV-2 gD which cross-reacts with HSV-1 strains, we could also localize HSV-1 gD on the basolateral membranes of Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells. These results indicate that these molecules contain putative sorting signals that direct them to basolateral membrane domains.

Characterization of the genes encoding herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 alkaline exonucleases and overlapping proteins

A detailed sequence analysis of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 DNA encoding the alkaline exonuclease mRNA clusters has been completed. Three partially colinear mRNAs (2.3, 1.9, and 0.9 kilobases) are completely encoded within the DNA sequence presented. The putative promoter regions of the transcripts were inserted upstream of a plasmid-borne chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene and assayed for their ability to induce transcription of the CAT gene upon low multiplicity of infection with HSV in transient expression assays. We conclude that the expression of all three transcripts appear to be controlled by individual promoters. The 2.3-kilobase mRNA contains an open translational reading frame sufficient to encode 626 amino acids for the HSV-1 alkaline exonuclease enzyme; this value is 620 amino acids for HSV-2. A comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences of the HSV-1 and HSV-2 alkaline exonuclease enzymes revealed significant amino acid differences in the N-terminal portions of the two proteins; however, computer analyses suggest that the three-dimensional structures of the HSV-1 and HSV-2 nuclease enzymes are very similar. The 0.9-kilobase mRNA contains an open reading frame which shares a small amount of out-of-phase overlap with the C-terminal portion of the alkaline nuclease open reading frame. This open reading frame has the capacity to encode a 96-amino-acid polypeptide (10,500 daltons).

Characterization of the gene encoding herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein C and comparison with the type 1 counterpart

The gene encoding the glycoprotein C (gC) of herpes simplex virus type 1 maps to the region of the viral genome from 0.62 to 0.64. Recently, a herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein previously designated gF and now designated gC was mapped to a homologous location. Analysis of the herpes simplex virus type 2 mRNA species encoded in this region revealed a major transcript of 2.5 kilobases, a 0.73-kilobase transcript (the 5' ends of which were mapped by primer extension), and several minor species, all nearly identical to the herpes simplex virus type 1 pattern. A polypeptide of ca. 60,000 daltons was identified by in vitro translation of hybrid-selected mRNA. A smaller protein of ca. 20,000 daltons was also mapped to this region. The nucleotide sequence of a 3.4-kilobase segment of DNA encompassing gC was determined, and an open reading frame of 1,440 nucleotides specifying a 480-amino acid protein with properties consistent with that of a glycoprotein was identified. Comparative DNA sequence analysis showed regions of limited homology within the coding sequences for gC and a deletion which results in 31 fewer amino acids in the gC-2 near the amino terminus of the protein. The carboxy termini of gC-1 and gC-2 are very similar, as are the 20,000-dalton proteins.