Besecker, MichaelFurness, CarolineCoen, DonaldGriffiths, Anthony2019-10-052007Besecker, M. I., C. L. Furness, D. M. Coen, and A. Griffiths. 2007. “Expression of Extremely Low Levels of Thymidine Kinase from an Acyclovir-Resistant Herpes Simplex Virus Mutant Supports Reactivation from Latently Infected Mouse Trigeminal Ganglia.” Journal of Virology 81 (15): 8356–60. https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00484-07.0022-538X1070-63211098-5514http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41482921A single-cytosine-deletion in the herpes simplex virus gene encoding thymidine kinase (TK) was previously found in an acyclovir-resistant clinical isolate. A laboratory strain engineered to carry this mutation did not generate sufficient TK activity for detection by plaque autoradiography, which detected 0.25% wild-type activity. However, a drug sensitivity assay suggested that extremely low levels of TK are generated by this virus. The virus was estimated to express 0.09% of wild-type TK activity via a ribosomal frameshift 24 nucleotides upstream of the mutation. Remarkably, this appeared to be sufficient active TK to support a low level of reactivation from latently infected mouse trigeminal ganglia.en-USJournal Article2019-10-0510.1128/JVI.00484-07