On the structure, functional equivalence, and replication of the four arrangements of herpes simplex virus DNA. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology 43

The Herpesviridae constitute a large family of DNA viruses infecting a vast variety of eukaryotic species. The common features of the family are the architec-ture of the virion and many aspects of the reproduc-tive cycle. The herpesvirus DNAs range from approxi-mately 85 to 150 • 106 in molecular weight. Provision-ally, the more thoroughly investigated herpesviruses have been classified into three subfamilies on the basis of selected biologic properties and the structure of their DNA. The Alphaherpesvirinae comprising herpes simplex virus (I-ISV)-I and-2, bovine mammil-litis, and pseudorabies virus contain a DNA approxi-mately 85-110 • 106 in molecular weight (Becker et al. 1968; Kieff et al. 1971; Buchman and Roizman 1978a,b; Stevely 1977); a characteristic of this DNA is that the sequences from at least one end are reiterated internally in an inverted orientation (Sheldrick and Berthelot 1975; Wadsworth et al. 1975; Stevely 1977; Buchman and Roizman 1978a,b). The Betaherpes-virinae comprising human and murine cytomegalovi-ruses contain a DNA 130-150 • 106 in molecular weigh