Disease relevance of UL41

• Comparative DNA sequence analysis of the host shutoff genes of different strains of herpes simplex virus: type 2 strain HG52 encodes a truncated UL41 product [1].
• We have investigated the basis of the different shutoff phenotypes of a strong shutoff strain (HSV-2 strain G), a weak shutoff virus (HSV-1 strain 17 syn+) and HG52 by comparative DNA sequence analysis of gene UL41, which encodes the virion-associated host shutoff factor [1].
• To date, UL41 homologs have been identified in the genomes of three other alphaherpesviruses: equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), varicella-zoster virus, and pseudorabies virus, but very little is known about the putative products of these homologous genes [2].

High impact information on UL41

• Analysis of conserved domains of UL41 of herpes simplex virus type 1 in virion host shutoff and pathogenesis [3].
• The results show that the UL41 genes of strains G and 17 are 86% homologous and that the lack of shutoff by HG52 is likely to be explained by a frameshift mutation within its UL41 coding sequence [1].
• The virion-associated function is encoded by the viral gene UL41 [4].
• An HSV-1 mutant, vhs-1, which has a genomic deletion in the UL41 gene, is incapable of inducing the shut-off of cellular gene expression [4].

References