Identification of the products of a varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein gene

Two of the genes identified from the previously published DNA sequence of the Us component of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) genome were predicted to encode membrane proteins with polypeptide molecular weights of 39 000 (39K) and 70K. A rabbit antiserum directed against a unique peptide containing the seven amino acid residues at the carboxy terminus of the 39K gene product specifically precipitated glycoproteins with apparent molecular weights of 55K and 45K from VZV-infected cells labelled with [3H]mannose. The complete inhibition of precipitation of gp55 by free peptide and the partial inhibition of precipitation of gp45 support he conclusion that the 39K gene encodes gp55 and perhaps gp45. The number of VZV genes currently thought o encode glycoproteins i discussed in view of this finding. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a herpesvirus, causing chickenpox in man on primary infection and shingles after reactivation of latent virus. This complex virus expresses several glycoproteins in infected cells (Asano & Takahashi, 1979; Grose, 1980; Shemer et al., 1980; Zweerink & Neff, 1981; Grose & Friedrichs, 1982; Shiraki et al., 1982), but it appears from the studies discussed below using monoclonal antibodies that more than one species of glycoprotei