Glycoproteins gM and gN of pseudorabies virus are dispensable for viral penetration and propagation in the nervous systems of adult mice

Glycoproteins gM and gN are conserved throughout the herpesviruses but are dispensable for viral replication in cell cultures. To assay for a function of these proteins in infection of an animal, deletion mutants of pseudorab ies virus lacking gM or gN and corresponding revertants were analyzed for t he ability to penetrate and propagate in the nervous systems of adult mice after intranasal inoculation. We demonstrate that neither of the two glycop roteins is required for infection of the nervous systems of mice by pseudor abies virus.