HERPESVIRUS PAPIO-2, AN SA8-LIKE ALPHA-HERPESVIRUS OF BABOONS

Several SA8 isolates obtained from baboons were compared to the protot ype SA8 herpesvirus of African green monkeys. SDS-PAGE and restriction enzyme analyses revealed definite differences between green monkey an d baboon isolates. DNA and amino acid sequences of the gB, gD and gJ g lycoprotein genes exhibited substantial differences in variable region s. For the gB and gD, the amount of amino acid substitutions between S A8 and the baboon viruses was comparable to levels observed between an alogous genes of SA8 and B virus or HSV1 & HSV2. Although a high degre e of antigenic crossreactivity was apparent, virus-specific antigenic determinants were also readily detected. Phylogenetic analyses support ed separation of the baboon isolates and SA8 as distinct viruses. Take n together these results suggest that although closely related to SA8, the baboon viruses represent a distinct simian alpha-herpesvirus whic h we propose be designated Herpesvirus papio 2.