Enrichment of early HSV-induced proteins in phosphonoformate-treated cells.

The early HSV-specified proteins were selectively enriched in phosphonoformate (PFA)-treated Vero cells, i.e. in the absence of virus DNA synthesis. By pulse labelling, immunoprecipitation and enzyme immunoassay studies, the replication cascade of HSV-1 was shown to be blocked to a given stage allowing the production of early viral polypeptides only. With a prolonged treatment some of the early functions of the HSV genome seemed to cease as shown by the depletion of the respective polypeptides. Two suggestions rise from the presented experimental data: (i) the action of PFA on the production of early viral proteins modifies the recovery of HSV replication after the drug removal, (ii) the analysis of HSV polypeptide synthesis during a prolonged PFA treatment may be used for the evaluation of important viral gene functions responsible for the development of virus latency.