Varicella-zoster virus with a lost gE epitope: evidence for immunological pressure by the human antibody response

Archives of Virology. Supplementum
J A Padilla, C Grose

Abstract

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) genome contains about 70 open reading frames (ORF). ORF 68 codes for glycoprotein gE, formerly called gpl, which is the predominant VZV glycoprotein; gE is a typical type 1 transmembrane protein with 623 amino acids. Recently, a variant virus was discovered which has a mutation in gE codon 150; this mutation converts an aspartic acid into an asparagine residue.

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