Recombinants between herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2: analyses of genome structures and expression of immediate early polypeptides

Abstract
Recombinants between temperature-sensitive mutants of herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) were constructed. Using restriction endonucleases, the genome composition of 17 intertypic recombinants was analyzed and crossovers in every region of the genome were detected. The virion DNA of 1 recombinant appeared to be largely frozen in 2 of the 4 possible genome arrangements of HSV. Knowledge of the genome structures of recombinants enabled physical mapping of immediate early polypeptides. The immediate early polypeptide Vmw IE 110 of HSV-1 and its functionally equivalent polypeptide, Vmw IE 118, of HSV-2 may map in the repetitive sequences bounding the long unique region of HSV.