Selective inhibition of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA polymerase by zinc ions

Abstract The DNA polymerase of herpes simplex virus (HSV) was isolated from nuclei of infected BSC-1 cells by centrifugation in sucrose gradients and by chromatography on double-stranded DNA cellulose columns. The viral enzyme was almost completely inhibited in vitro by 0.1 m M zinc acetate. The a and β cellular DNA polymerases were resistant to 0.3 m M zinc acetate when tested under in vitro conditions. Inhibition of HSV replication can be explained by the selective inhibitory effect of zinc ions on the viral DNA polymerase.