Variations in herpes simplex virus isolated from human ganglia and a study of clonal variation in HSV-1.

Growth of human sensory ganglia in culture has led to the reactivation of herpes simplex virus from over 50% of cases studied. Infected cell polypeptide and restriction enzyme analysis has led to the conclusion that each individual has one unique latent strain of HSV-1 that can be present in more than one ganglion in the body. Analysis of 91 isolates has shown that the long region of the genome is variable in terms of DNA restriction sites, DNA sequences, and in coding for the majority of variable polypeptides. The short region is stable with only polypeptides Vmw 21 and 22, restriction sites HindIII-(M-N) and BglII-(G-H) and the DNA sequence BamHI-1' having been found to vary. The insertion and deletion of small DNA sequences at specific locations allows individual reactivation events to be distinguished. Detection of information able to complement and produce ts+ virus on superinfection of otherwise negative ganglia with ts mutants, has led to the conclusion that ganglion cells may harbor herpes virus-related information that is only detectable by use of such genetic probes.