[DNA degradation of cultured mammalian cells infected with herpes simplex virus].

In connection with a supposition concerning the role of nucleases in the production of chromosome breaks in the herpes simplex virus-infected cells, the stability of DNA of the infected cultured cells was studied. It was established that the infection of cells with herpes simplex virus resulted in a partial degradation of cellular DNA of permissive and non-permissive cells. In human embryo fibroblast culture products of hydrolysis of cellular DNA may be reutilized by the synthetising virus. In cells of clone M15, in which no mature virus is produced, products of hydrolysis of DNA are revealed in acid-soluble pool. The observed degradation of DNA apparently is not associated with the cell death. It cannot be excluded that a partial degradation of DNA in the cell due to viral infection may bring about a production of visible chromosome breaks.