FIG. 5.

VZV glycoprotein mRNA ratios and expression of gC mRNA in vitro. VZV-S, P-Oka, V-Oka, gC⁻-Oka, gC⁻-Ellen, and VZV-Ellen were grown to equivalent CPE in MeWo cells, and total cell mRNA was prepared. RNA was electrophoresed, transferred to membranes, and hybridized with ³²P-labeled probes specific for gB, gC, gE, and gH transcripts. Northern blots were visualized, and band intensities were quantitated by phosphorimager analysis. (A) Northern blot showing the 2.5- and 1.9-kb gC mRNA transcripts. Transcription of gC from gC⁻-Oka and gC⁻-Ellen was markedly decreased. (B) gB/gE (black bars), gH/gE (gray bars), and gC/gE (dark gray bars) ratios were calculated as a percentage of the gE transcript for each strain. Transcription of gC was deficient in gC⁻-Oka and gC⁻-Ellen, whereas gB and gH transcription was not altered. VZV-S, P-Oka, V-Oka, and VZV-Ellen had normal glycoprotein profiles.