THE SIZE AND CONFORMATION OF KAPOSIS-SARCOMA-ASSOCIATED HERPESVIRUS (HUMAN HERPESVIRUS-8) DNA IN INFECTED-CELLS AND VIRIONS

The genome of a novel human herpesvirus has been detected in specimens of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and in several AIDS-related lymphoproliferat ive disorders. Here we examine the size and genomic conformation of th e DNA of this virus (known as KS-associated herpesvirus or human herpe svirus 8) in latently and lytically infected cells and in virions. Pul sed-field gel electrophoresis of viral DNA shows that the viral genome is similar in size to those of other gammaherpesviruses (160 to 170 k b). As with Epstein-Barr virus, KS-associated herpesvirus DNA is stabl y maintained in latently infected B cells as episomal monomer circles and induction from latency is associated with the selective accumulati on of linear genomic forms.