CHARACTERIZATION OF A TREE SHREW HERPESVIRUS ISOLATED FROM A LYMPHOSARCOMA

A herpes virus was isolated from a lymphosarcoma culture of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) and termed Tupaia herpesvirus 2 (THV-2). Electron microscopy of THV-2 revealed the presence of virus particles with nucleocapsids of about 100 nm surrounded by large envelopes compatible with virions of the herpesvirus group. An extensive host range study revealed that Tupaia embryonic fibroblasts are the cells of choice for the efficient propagation of THV-2. This cell line was used for the continued propagation and plaque assay of THV-2. The mol. wt. of the virus DNA was found to be 100 x 106. The buoyant density of THV-2 was 1.724 g/ml. The DNA of THV-2 was compared to the DNA of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and to another previously isolated herpesvirus from apparently healthy tree shrews (THV-1). The analysis was carried out using the restriction endonuclease EcoRI and the cleavage pattern of THV-2 DNA resulted in DNA fragments which were different from those of HSV-1 DNA and distinguishable from the DNA of THV-1.