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Title: Thymidine plaque autoradiography of thymidine kinase-positive and thymidine kinase-negative herpesviruses

Journal Article · · J. Clin. Microbiol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6257026

Plaques formed by herpes simplex virus (HSV), pseudorabies virus, and varicella-zoster virus were studied by plaque autoradiography after (/sup 14/C)thymidine labeling. Standard thymidine kinase-positive (TK+) viruses and TK- mutants of HSV types 1 and 2 and pseudorabies virus were studied, including cell cultured viruses and viruses isolated from animals. Autoradiography was performed with X-ray film with an exposure time of 5 days. After development of films, TK+ plaques showed dark rims due to isotope incorporation, whereas TK- plaques were minimally labeled. Plaque autoradiography of stock TK- viruses showed reversion frequencies to the TK+ phenotype of less than 10(-3). Autoradiography indicated that TK- virus retained the TK- phenotype after replication in vivo. In addition, it was shown that TK- HSV could be isolated from mouse trigeminal ganglion tissue after corneal inoculation of TK- HSV together with TK+ HSV. The plaque autoradiographic procedure was very useful to evaluate proportions of TK+ and TK- virus present in TK+-TK- virus mixtures.

Research Organization:
Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey
OSTI ID:
6257026
Journal Information:
J. Clin. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 17:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English