Sequence of the latency-related gene of herpes simplex virus type 1.

During herpes simplex virus type 1 latency in neurons, RNA is transcribed from one small region of the viral genome. This latency-related RNA (LR RNA) is antisense to the mRNA of the immediate early gene ICPO, partially overlaps the ICPO mRNA, and is suspected of playing some role in helping maintain latency. We report here the sequence of the latency-related gene (LR gene) and its flanking sequences from strain F, and compare it to the available partial sequences of this region from strains 17 syn+ and KOS. Two potential open reading frames (ORFs) were common to all three sequences. Sequence analysis suggested the possibility of promoters in two different regions of the LR gene.