The Anti-interferon Activity of Conserved Viral dUTPase ORF54 is Essential for an Effective MHV-68 Infection
Figure 7
ORF54 non-dUTPase function is essential for establishment of latency in vivo, but not lytic infection.
Balb/C mice were infected with 500 pfu of each indicated virus. (A–B) Lung tissue was harvested for plaque assay to measure infectious titer. Infectious titer from lung lysates at A) 5 dpi and B) 7 dpi. P-values for 54S compared to WT, 54DM, and 54R in A are 0.047, 0.002, 0.018, respectively and in B are 0.048, 0.396, 0.022, respectively. (C–D) At 14 dpi, splenocytes were harvested to C) measure infectious centers which are derived from reactivating virus and D) to determine viral genome copies from 100 ng of total splenocyte DNA. P-values for 54Stop compared to WT, 54DM, and 54R in C are 0.043, 0.0003, 0.005, respectively, and in D are 0.007, 0.042, and 0.040, respectively. P-value of 54DM compared to WT in C is not significant, p = 0.159. E) IFNAR−/− mice were infected with 500 pfu of 54Stop and 54R viruses. At 14 dpi, splenocytes were harvested to measure infectious centers, the p-value between 54Stop and 54R is not significant, p = 0.248, and F) viral genome copies determined from 100 ng of total splenocyte DNA, the p-value between 54Stop and 54R is not significant, p = 0.387. In all Figures, each ▴ represents one animal, and a bar marks averages. For A,B n = 4; for C,D n = 6 except for WT virus where n = 5; for E and F, n = 5 for 54Stop and n = 6 for 54R.