Genomic sequences of a low passage herpes simplex virus 2 clinical isolate and its plaque-purified derivative strain.

Virology
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Herpes simplex virus 2 is an important human pathogen as the causative agent of genital herpes, neonatal herpes, and increased risk of HIV acquisition and transmission. Nevertheless, the only genomic sequence that has been completed is the attenuated HSV-2 HG52 laboratory strain. In this study we defined the genomic sequence of the HSV-2 SD90e low passage clinical isolate and a plaque-purified derivative, SD90-3P. We found minimal sequence differences between SD90e and SD90-3P. However, in comparisons with the HSV-2 HG52 reference genome sequence, the SD90e genome ORFs contained numerous point mutations, 13 insertions/deletions (indels), and 9 short compensatory frameshifts. The indels were true sequence differences, but the compensatory frameshifts were likely sequence errors in the original HG52 sequence. Because HG52 virus is less virulent than other HSV-2 strains and may not be representative of wildtype HSV-2 strains, we propose that the HSV-2 SD90e genome serve as the new HSV-2 reference genome.

Year of Publication
2014
Journal
Virology
Volume
450-451
Pages
140-5
Date Published
2014 Feb
ISSN
1096-0341
URL
DOI
10.1016/j.virol.2013.12.014
PubMed ID
24503076
PubMed Central ID
PMC3955984
Links
Grant list
HHSN272200900018C / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01 AI057552 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R56 AI057552 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
AI057552 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States