THE MOST ABUNDANT PROTEIN IN BOVINE HERPES-1 VIRIONS IS A HOMOLOG OF HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE-1-UL47

The bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) protein VP8 is present, in large amounts, in the tegument of virions. As a preliminary step towards determining the function of VP8 and the biological relevance for its abundant presence, we describe the mapping of the location of its gene and determination of its nucleotide sequence. The gene for VP8 was located between 0.088 and 0.108 map units on the BHV-1 genome and contained a 2226 bp reading frame encoding a 742 amino acid protein. The protein, produced in vitro by transcribing and translating the reading frame, was precipitated by monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal serum directed against VP8. The primary structure of VP8 showed considerable homology with the product of the UL47 reading frame of herpes simplex virus type 1.