Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Introduction: definition and classification of the human herpesviruses
- Part II Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: alphaherpesviruses
- 5 Genetic comparison of human alphaherpesvirus genomes
- 6 Alphaherpes viral genes and their functions
- 7 Entry of alphaherpesviruses into the cell
- 8 Early events pre-initiation of alphaherpes viral gene expression
- 9 Initiation of transcription and RNA synthesis, processing and transport in HSV and VZV infected cells
- 10 Alphaherpesvirus DNA replication
- 11 Envelopment of HSV nucleocapsids at the inner nuclear membrane
- 12 The egress of alphaherpesviruses from the cell
- 13 The strategy of herpes simplex virus replication and takeover of the host cell
- Part II Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: betaherpesviruses
- Part II Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: gammaherpesviruses
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: HSV-1 and HSV-2
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: VZU
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: HCMV
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: HHV- 6A, 6B, and 7
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: gammaherpesviruses
- Part IV Non-human primate herpesviruses
- Part V Subversion of adaptive immunity
- Part VI Antiviral therapy
- Part VII Vaccines and immunothgerapy
- Part VIII Herpes as therapeutic agents
- Index
- Plate section
- References
5 - Genetic comparison of human alphaherpesvirus genomes
from Part II - Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: alphaherpesviruses
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Introduction: definition and classification of the human herpesviruses
- Part II Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: alphaherpesviruses
- 5 Genetic comparison of human alphaherpesvirus genomes
- 6 Alphaherpes viral genes and their functions
- 7 Entry of alphaherpesviruses into the cell
- 8 Early events pre-initiation of alphaherpes viral gene expression
- 9 Initiation of transcription and RNA synthesis, processing and transport in HSV and VZV infected cells
- 10 Alphaherpesvirus DNA replication
- 11 Envelopment of HSV nucleocapsids at the inner nuclear membrane
- 12 The egress of alphaherpesviruses from the cell
- 13 The strategy of herpes simplex virus replication and takeover of the host cell
- Part II Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: betaherpesviruses
- Part II Basic virology and viral gene effects on host cell functions: gammaherpesviruses
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: HSV-1 and HSV-2
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: VZU
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: HCMV
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: HHV- 6A, 6B, and 7
- Part III Pathogenesis, clinical disease, host response, and epidemiology: gammaherpesviruses
- Part IV Non-human primate herpesviruses
- Part V Subversion of adaptive immunity
- Part VI Antiviral therapy
- Part VII Vaccines and immunothgerapy
- Part VIII Herpes as therapeutic agents
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Human herpesviruses 1, 2, and 3 (herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV)) have been classified as alphaherpesviruses based originally upon their biological properties, and subsequently on the sequences of their respective genomes (Minson et al., 2000; Pellett and Roizman, in press). All of these viruses maintain latent infections in sensory ganglia, and can productively infect a variety of human cells, including the living cells of mucous membranes and skin. These epithelial sites also provide exit points for the virus to infect other individuals.
The structure of the genomes of the alphaherpesviruses that infect humans are quite similar at first glance (Fig. 5.1). All have two unique segments that are flanked by repeats of different lengths. The unique segments are designated short (S) and long (L) and the repeats designated as internal (IR) or terminal (TR). Members of the genus simplexvirus (HSV-1 and HSV-2) exist as four roughly equimolar isomers, each isomer differing in the relative orientations of the long and short components. The orientation of one of the HSV isomers has been designated prototypical, and could therefore be designated TRL-UL-IRL-IRS-US-TRS. VZV also produces 4 genomic isomers, but those in which the long component is inverted are significantly reduced in frequency, to about 5% of total genomes. It is tempting to speculate that this is a consequence of the shorter repeats flanking the VZV long component (88.5 bp) as compared to the repeats flanking US in human alphaherpesviruses (6000–7400 bp) and UL in HSV-1 and HSV-2 (around 9,000 bp).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Human HerpesvirusesBiology, Therapy, and Immunoprophylaxis, pp. 61 - 69Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007
References
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