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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Temporal Analysis of the Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic Translocation of a Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Protein by Immunofluorescent Confocal Microscopy

Temporal Analysis of the Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic Translocation of a Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Protein by Immunofluorescent Confocal Microscopy

Published on: November 4, 2018

Herpesvirus Replication Compartments: Dynamic Biomolecular Condensates?

Enrico Caragliano^1,2,3,4, Wolfram Brune^1,5, Jens B Bosse^1,2,3,4

¹Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology (HPI), 20251 Hamburg, Germany.

|May 28, 2022

Summary

RNA viruses form cytoplasmic condensates, but herpesviruses replicate DNA in nuclear compartments. Early herpesvirus replication compartments (RCs) mature into complex structures with DNA scaffolds during infection.

Keywords:

CMV biomolecular condensate herpesvirus liquid–liquid phase separation maturation replication compartment

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Last Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Temporal Analysis of the Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic Translocation of a Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Protein by Immunofluorescent Confocal Microscopy

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Area of Science:

Virology
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Many RNA viruses utilize cytoplasmic biomolecular condensates for replication via liquid-liquid phase separation.
Herpesviruses, unlike RNA viruses, replicate DNA in nuclear membrane-less replication compartments (RCs).

Purpose of the Study:

To review and comment on nuclear condensate formation by herpesviruses, focusing on RC development.
To propose a model for the maturation of herpesvirus RCs during infection.

Main Methods:

Literature review of herpesvirus replication and biomolecular condensates.
Analysis of data from human cytomegalovirus (human herpesvirus 5) studies.

Main Results:

Early herpesvirus RCs are proposed to be liquid and homogenous.
Over the course of infection, RCs mature into more heterogeneous structures with complex properties.

Conclusions:

Herpesvirus RCs represent a distinct class of nuclear biomolecular condensates.
DNA replication is highlighted as a key factor in the maturation of these viral condensates, potentially involving a DNA scaffold.