Gene for the major antigenic structural protein (p100) of human herpesvirus 6

A human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) structural protein of 100 kDa (p100) is the polypeptide most frequently and intensively reactive in immunoblotting analyses with human sera on HHV-6-infected cells or partially purified virions. The gene for p100 was identified by screening a bacteriophage lambda library with monospecific rabbit antisera. The gene codes for a polypeptide of 870 amino acids with a calculated molecular size of 97 kDa. Its amino-terminal third is weakly homologous to the immunogenic basic matrix phosphoprotein pp150 of human cytomegalovirus. Five fragments representing more than 93% of HHV-6 p100 were prokaryotically expressed. The antigenic epitopes of p100 were preliminary mapped by immunoblotting with human sera. They are located within the carboxy-terminal part which is neither homologous nor cross-reactive to pp150 of human cytomegalovirus. Availability of the gene for the immunodominant structural protein should provide tools for studies of pathogenesis by HHV-6.