RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 McKie, Elizabeth A. A1 Hope, R. Graham A1 Brown, S. Moira A1 MacLean, Alasdair R.YR 1994 T1 Characterization of the herpes simplex virus type 1 strain 17+ neurovirulence gene RL1 and its expression in a bacterial system JF Journal of General Virology, VO 75 IS 4 SP 733 OP 741 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-75-4-733 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB The DNA sequence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strain 17+ in the region coding for the polypeptide ICP34.5 predicts a protein of 248 amino acids with a proposed Mr of26158. The entire RL1 open reading frame was cloned into the expression vector pET8c to enable over-expression of ICP34.5 in Escherichia coli. The expressed protein was partially purified and used as an immunogen to produce a polyclonal antiserum in rabbits. Construction of an ICP34.5 null mutant (1771), demonstrated that the predicted open reading frame for ICP34.5 in strain 17+ is correct and confirmed that HSV-1 strain 17+ ICP34.5 specifically determines neurovirulence. The specificity of the antiserum directed against the E. coli -expressed ICP34.5 was defined by Western blotting of wild-type and RL1- negative infected cell extracts., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-75-4-733