Abstract
A DNA competition binding assay was used to search for herpes simplex virus (HSV) proteins which bind to specific sequences of the genome of HSV. Cloned DNA from different regions of the virus genome were tested. Two late polypeptides, one major of apparent MW 21,000 (21K) and one minor of 22,000 (22K), were preferentially bound by a variety of fragments containing the HSV-1400 base-pair (bp) a sequence (a direct repeat present at the ends of the molecule and in inverted orientation between the long and short regions of the genome) but not by other competing DNA including ones containing an origin of replication. Evidently the HSV type 1-induced 21K and 22K polypeptides interact specifically with DNA sequences within this 400 bp HSV-1 a sequence.