Recent Studies of the Herpesviruses

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Abstract
The viruses of the herpes group are relatively large and possess an ether-sensitive envelope which surrounds a nucleocapsid composed of 162 capsomeres. The viral genome consists of a doubly-stranded molecule of DNA with a molecular weight of approximately 100 × 106 daltons. Following adsorption and penetration into their host cells, the herpesviruses inhibit the synthesis of cell-specific products and, instead, the infected cells begin to form virus-specific components. Viral DNA is synthesized in the nucleus and viral proteins in the cytoplasm, whence they migrate to the nucleus, the site of assembly of the nucleocapsids. The nucleocapsids acquire their envelopes by budding from the nuclear membrane. The cellular membranes are altered drastically by infection. Structural viral glycoproteins become part of the nuclear membranes. A viral nonstructural glycoprotein that becomes part of the cytoplasmic membranes is also synthesized by the infected cells. When the virus is inactivated by ultraviolet irradiation, some of the virions lose their ability to kill the infected cells, but these inactivated virions can still transfer some of their functions to these cells. The oncogenic potential of the virus can be detected under these conditions. The possible correlation of the virus-induced alterations of the cellular membranes and the oncogenic potential of the virus are discussed.

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