During lytic infections, the virion host shutoff (Vhs) protein (UL41) of herpes simplex virus destabilizes both host and viral mRNAs. By accelerating the decay of all mRNAs, it helps redirect the cell from host to viral gene expression and facilitates the sequential expression of different classes of viral genes. While it is clear that Vhs induces mRNA degradation, it is uncertain whether it is...

The virion host shutoff protein (vhs) of herpes simplex virus (HSV) triggers global shutoff of host protein synthesis and accelerated mRNA turnover during virus infection and induces endoribonucleolytic cleavage of exogenous RNA substrates when it is produced in a rabbit reticulocyte (RRL) in vitro translation system. Although vhs induces RNA turnover in the absence of other HSV gene products, ...

The virion host shutoff (vhs) protein encoded by the U(L)41 gene of herpes simplex virus 1 is an endoribonuclease. The enzyme is introduced into the cell during unpackaging of the virion upon entry and selectively degrades mRNA for several hours. The RNase activity ceases after the onset of synthesis of late (gamma) viral proteins. Here we report that vhs protein does not accumulate in cells tr...

The herpes simplex virus Vhs endonuclease degrades host and viral mRNAs. Isolated Vhs cuts any RNA at many sites. Yet, within cells, it targets mRNAs and cuts at preferred sites, including regions of translation initiation. Previous studies have shown that Vhs binds the translation factors eIF4A and eIF4H. Here, we show that Vhs binds the cap-binding complex eIF4F. Association with eIF4F correl...

In order to assess the influence of breed on the vertebral heart scale (VHS) of dogs, the VHS was measured and compared in left to right (LL) and right to left lateral (RL) views. For all dogs (n=56), the mean VHS on the RL radiographs [9.7 vertebra (v)] was significantly larger than the mean VHS on the LL radiographs (9.6 v) (p=0.047). Doberman dogs had higher mean values of the VHS in LL (9.9...

Virion host shutoff (vhs)-deficient herpes simplex virus (HSV) was tested as a therapeutic vaccine in a mouse model of UV light-induced recurrent herpetic stromal keratitis. Four weeks after primary corneal infection, mice were vaccinated intraperitoneally with vhs(-) vaccine or control. Four weeks after vaccination, the eyes of latently infected mice were UV-B irradiated to induce recurrent vi...

The herpes simplex virus host shutoff RNase (VHS-RNase) is the major early block of host responses to infection. VHS-RNase is introduced into cells during infection and selectively degrades stable mRNAs made before infection and the normally short-lived AU-rich stress response mRNAs induced by sensors of innate immunity. Through its interactions with pUL47, another tegument protein, it spares f...

The virion host shutoff (vhs) protein of herpes simplex virus type 1 causes the degradation of host and viral mRNA immediately upon infection of permissive cells. vhs can interact with VP16 through a 20-amino-acid binding domain, and viruses containing a deletion of this VP16-binding domain of vhs (Delta20) and a corresponding marker rescue (Delta20R) were constructed and characterized. Transie...

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) virions contain one or more factors that trigger rapid shutoff of host protein synthesis and accelerated decay of cellular and viral mRNAs in infected cells. HSV isolates bearing mutations at the virion host shutoff (vhs) locus (gene UL41) are defective for both processes, indicating that the vhs protein is required; however, it is not clear whether the role of vhs in...

AIM To establish reference values of vertebral heart score (VHS) in Indian Spitz, Labrador retriever, and Mongrel dogs; to assess applicability of VHS in these three dog breeds; to determine if breed, recumbency side, gender, body weight, and thoracic depth (TD) to thoracic width (TW) ratio has an influence on the VHS measurement in these dog breeds. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 60, clien...