Assessment of infectivity using a Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) recombinant that expresses HVS-GFP

Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) is capable of infecting a wide range of human cell types with high efficiency. The viral genome persists as high-copy-number, circular, nonintegrated episomes that segregate to progeny on cell division. This allows HVS-based vectors to transduce stably a dividing cell population and provide sustained transgene expression for an extended period of time both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the insertion of a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) cassette into the HVS genome simplifies the incorporation of large amounts of heterologous DNA for gene delivery. These properties offer characteristics similar to that of an artificial chromosome combined with an efficient delivery system. This protocol describes the use of an HVS recombinant virus expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) (HVS-GFP) to assess the infectivity of a specific cell line.