Isolation of cDNA clones derived from a cellular gene transcriptionally induced by herpes simplex virus

A small number of cellular proteins accumulate to high levels in cells infected with Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) despite a generalised repression of most host cell bio-synthesis. An antibody to one such protein has been used to screen a lambda gtll library and far polysome immunoprecipitation in order to isolate cDNA clones derived from the corresponding gene. The cDNA clones have been used in dot blot and nuclear run-off assays to show that HSV, like other DNA tumour viruses can transcriptionally induce a cellular gene. The mechanism of this effect which is dependent on viral protein synthesis and its possible significance in transformation by HSV are discussed.