Herpes simplex virus 1 lytic replication and gene expression program

The Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) lytic replication and gene expression program is the coordinated sequence of molecular events required for the production of new viral particles and the eventual lysis of the host cell. This program follows a strictly regulated temporal cascade of gene expression, categorized into immediate-early (alpha), early (beta), and late (gamma) phases, which are initiated by viral transactivators like VP16 and ICP4. Immediate-early proteins hijack host cellular machinery to facilitate the transcription of early genes, which encode essential replication enzymes such as the viral DNA polymerase (UL30) and the helicase-primase complex. These enzymes are the primary targets for clinical antiviral drugs, including nucleoside analogs like acyclovir and helicase-primase inhibitors like amenamevir. Despite the efficacy of these treatments in suppressing active infection, the lytic program is distinct from the latent state, and current drugs cannot eradicate the virus from its latent reservoir in the nervous system. Therapeutic challenges include the development of resistance through mutations in viral enzymes and the potential for host cell toxicity with certain high-dose antiviral regimens.

Other names

HSV-1 lytic cycleHSV-1 lytic infectionHSV-1 replication programHSV-1 gene expression cascade

Inhibition of viral DNA polymerase, inhibition of viral helicase-primase complex, and prevention of viral entry or gene expression.