Molecular cloning of herpes simplex virus type 2 DNA.

Restriction enzyme HindIII digestion of the whole genome of herpes simplex virus type 2 strain 186 yielded 10 DNA fragments with molecular weights ranging from approximately 22 X 10(6) to 1.2 X 10(6), which were cloned into the HindIII site of bacterial plasmid pACYC 184. The cloned fragments were identified by hybridization to HSV-2 virus DNA and by double digestion with restriction endonucleases. The recombinant plasmids, even if they carried DNA sequences with molecular weights of more than 10(7), were efficiently replicated in E. coli HB101.