Expression of the herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein C gene requires sequences in the 5' noncoding region of the gene

The role of the 5' noncoding region of the herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein C (gC) gene in viral gene expression was investigated with recombinant herpesviruses that contained the bacterial beta-galactosidase gene under the control of the gC promoter-regulatory region. Each of these viruses had the same DNA sequences from the start of gC transcription upstream to -114 but had variable segments of the downstream 140-base-pair sequence that is between the start of gC transcription and translation. Analysis of beta-galactosidase expression and mRNA synthesis from these viruses demonstrated the importance of DNA sequences from the start of gC transcription downstream to +38 for optimal expression from the gC promoter.