Tupaia herpesviruses (THVs) have been isolated from malignant lymphomas and
from degenerating lung or spleen cell cultures of tree shrews (Tupaia spp.
), but because of a lack of genetic information the final classification of
THVs is still open. In the present work the viral DNA polymerase (DPOL) ge
ne was mapped within the genome of the different THV strains using PCR and
degenerate oligonucleotide primers. Nucleotide sequences of the DPOL genes
of THV strains 1 to 5 were determined and used for comparative analyses. Th
e transcriptional activity of the THV-2 DPOL gene was confirmed by RT-PCR.
It was found that the different THV strains are very closely related to eac
h other. When compared to other herpesviruses the highest amino acid sequen
ce identities detected were with DPOLs of the murine and human cytomegalovi
ruses. These results justify the conclusion that THVs are members of the su
bfamily Betaherpes-virinae.