Annealing and hybridization properties of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA.

The hybridization properties of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV) genome have been analysed. The DNA has a kinetic complexity of 1 X 10(-8). E. cole RNA polymerase was found to initiate synthesis at about 70 sites on the HSV DNA. The in vitro RNA product from this reaction was complementary to about 80% of the HSV genome. The RNA-DNA hybridization rate constant (Kh) was determined using conditions of both RNA excess and DNA excess. Using this rate constant one can analyse the content of HSV sequences in any RNA population.