Herpesvirus Genome Mutagenesis by Transposon-Mediated Strategies

The Herpesviruses family consists of over 100 distinct viruses that are responsible for a variety of important human and veterinary diseases. These viruses are subclassified into alpha-, beta -, or gamma - herpesviruses, dependent upon a variety of criteria. Eight herpesviruses are human pathogens: Herpes Simplex Viruses type 1 and 2; Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV); Cytomegalovirus (CMV); Human Herpes Viruses type 6 and 7; Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV); and Kaposi’s Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV), also known as HHV-8. The human herpesviruses vary in primary sites of replication and clinical manifestations of infection, but they share many molecular similarities. All are large, enveloped viruses, consisting of a linear double-stranded DNA genome, ranging from approx 120 kbp-230 kbp in size. The complete DNA sequence of each of the human herpesviruses has been elucidated, but much remains to be learned about the function of specific viral gene products in the pathogenesis of disease.