Characterization of virus obtained from MDBK cells persistently infected with a variant of herpes simplex virus type 1 strain MP [HSV-1(MP)]

Abstract Virus clones which express glycoprotein gC (gC + ) were obtained from two persistently infected (p.i.) MDBK cell lines which had been independently established by infection with HSV-1(MP)10311, a gC − syncytial (syn) variant of herpes simplex virus type 1 strain MP [HSV-1(MP)]. The gC + revertants were syn in MDBK, HEp-2, and Vero cell lines and in primary human fibroblasts; this offers further evidence that glycoprotein gC does not inhibit cell fusion. The gC + revertants represented from 70 to 100 percent of the virions present in the virus populations examined, thus suggesting a possible selective advantage of the gC + revertants in this system of persistent infection.