Identification of simian varicella virus homologues of varicella zoster virus genes.

Clinical, pathologic, immunologic and virologic features of simian varicella virus (SVV) infection in primates resemble human varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Further, the SVV and VZV genomes are similar in size and structure, show striking homology in their configuration and DNA sequences, and encode antigenically related polypeptides. Although the entire VZV genome is present during latency in human ganglia, transcription is limited. VZV genes 21, 29, 62 and 63 are transcribed during latency, while genes 4, 10, 40, 51 and 61 are not transcribed. The entire VZV genome has been sequenced, but the SVV genome has not. Thus, to analyze SVV genes transcribed during latency, we have begun to identify SVV homologues of the above VZV genes. We used nick-translated [32p]-labeled-VZV open reading frame (ORF)-specific probes to screen Southern blots containing EcoRI-digested SVV genomic DNA and recombinant clones of SVV EcoRI and BamHI DNA fragments spanning approximately 97% of the virus genome. We showed that SVV homologues of VZV ORFs 4, 10, 29, 40, 51 and 61 mapped to SVV DNA fragments EcoRI I, A, N, BamHI E, EcoRI D and E, respectively. We also confirmed earlier reports that SVV homologues of VZV genes 21 and 63 mapped to SVV EcoRI DNA fragments H and C, respectively. Viral genes on the SVV and VZV genomes seem to be collinear.