Herpes Virus and Viral DNA Synthesis in Ultraviolet Light-Irradiated Cells

Abstract

The rate of virus DNA synthesis and the production of infectious virus are impaired in stationary [African green] monkey kidney CV-1 cells irradiated with UV before infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV). The inhibition of HSV multiplication is due to UV-induced damage in cell DNA. CV-1 cells recover their capacity to support HSV growth 40-48 h after irradiation, and the final virus yield is enhanced by a factor of 10. The time course of the recovery is similar to that of the excision repair process occurring in UV-irradiated mammalian cells. Caffeine, hydroxyurea and cycloheximide inhibit the recovery. Fluorodeoxyuridine is without effect. A small but significant amount of labeled dThd [thymidine] coming from irradiated cell DNA is incorporated into virus DNA. HSV specified thymidine kinase seems more effective for virus DNA synthesis in irradiated than in control cells.