Becker Y, Asher Y, Bujanover S, Darai G
Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Acta Virol. 1999 Apr-Jun;43(2-3):81-9.
Herpesviruses evolved from an ancestral viral genome that contained five blocks of genes which provide the members of this family of viruses with structural and enzymatic properties. These genes allow the herpesviruses to infect a host by entering into the nuclei of the cells, the site of replication and transcription of the viral DNA. The viral mRNAs are released into the cell cytoplasm where synthesis of enzymatic and structural proteins occurs. The latter proteins are responsible for the formation of the infectious virions. Herpesviruses that were able to adapt to different hosts during the evolution of the species (speciation) had acquired additional genes from transposons or retrotransposons that allowed them to successfully maintain their hold in the specific vertebrate host. The present overview deals with molecular differences between Marek's disease virus type 1 (MDV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and the specialized genes that differentiate MDV-1 from HSV-1, the promoters of the viral genes that control gene expression and the nuclear localization signals. Dynamic changes in the viral genomes that may occur during viral DNA replication and recombination and their effects on virus pathogenicity and genome evolution will be discussed.
疱疹病毒起源于一个祖先病毒基因组，该基因组包含五个基因块，赋予了该病毒家族成员结构和酶特性。这些基因使疱疹病毒能够通过进入细胞的细胞核来感染宿主，细胞核是病毒DNA复制和转录的场所。病毒mRNA释放到细胞质中，在那里发生酶和结构蛋白的合成。后者的蛋白质负责形成感染性病毒粒子。在物种进化（物种形成）过程中能够适应不同宿主的疱疹病毒从转座子或反转录转座子获得了额外的基因，这使它们能够在特定的脊椎动物宿主中成功地维持自身生存。本综述涉及1型马立克氏病病毒（MDV-1）和1型单纯疱疹病毒（HSV-1）之间的分子差异，以及使MDV-1区别于HSV-1的特定基因、控制基因表达的病毒基因启动子和核定位信号。还将讨论病毒DNA复制和重组过程中可能发生的病毒基因组动态变化及其对病毒致病性和基因组进化的影响。
