Abstract
The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) major immediate-early enhancer has been postulated to play a pivotal role in the control of latency and reactivation. However, the absence of an animal model has obstructed a direct test of this hypothesis. Here we report on the establishment of an in vivo, experimentally tractable system for quantitatively investigating physiological functions of the HCMV enhancer. Using a neonate BALB/c mouse model, we show that a chimeric murine CMV under the control of the HCMV enhancer is competent in vivo, replicating in key organs of mice with acute CMV infection and exhibiting latency/reactivation features comparable for the most part to those of the parental and revertant viruses.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Animals, Newborn
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Cell Line
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Cytomegalovirus / genetics*
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Cytomegalovirus / metabolism
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Cytomegalovirus Infections / genetics*
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Cytomegalovirus Infections / metabolism
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Cytomegalovirus Infections / pathology
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Disease Models, Animal
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Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
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Female
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Humans
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Immediate-Early Proteins / genetics*
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Immediate-Early Proteins / metabolism
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Muromegalovirus* / genetics
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Muromegalovirus* / metabolism
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Muromegalovirus* / pathogenicity
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Virus Activation / physiology*
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Virus Latency / physiology*
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Virus Replication
Substances
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Immediate-Early Proteins
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins