Evidence that transcriptional control is the major mechanism of regulation for the glycoprotein D gene in herpes simplex virus type 1-infected cells.

In this report, we demonstrate a close correlation between the levels of steady-state mRNA, polysome-associated RNA, and the rate of protein synthesis for glycoprotein D, a beta-gamma product of herpes simplex virus type 1, and for the model beta (ICP8), beta-gamma (glycoprotein B), and gamma (glycoprotein C) gene products included in this study as controls. No evidence was found for posttranscriptional control of expression of these products. We conclude from these results that the major regulatory control for these genes during herpes simplex virus type 1 infection is transcriptional.