Effect of six herpes simplex virus isolates on chromosomes of rabbit and hamster cell cultures

The chromosome effect of 6 herpes simplex virus isolates in rabbit kidney (RK) and hamster embryo (HE) cell cultures was variable. However, each virus isolate produced similar rates of altered metaphases in RK and HE cell cultures 4 and 8 h after infection. The observations suggest an inverse relationship between frequency of chromosome aberrations and previously reported ability to biochemically transform rodent cells.