Characterization of the human herpesvirus 6A U23 gene

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), which replicates abundantly in T cells, belongs to the Roseolovirus genus within the betaherpesvirus subfamily. Members of the Roseolovirus genus encode seven unique genes, U20, U21, U23, U24, U24A, U26, and U100. The present study focused on one of these, U23, by analyzing the characteristics of its gene product in HHV-6A-infected cells. The results indicated that the U23 protein was expressed at the late phase of infection as a glycoprotein, but was not incorporated into virions, and mostly stayed within the trans Golgi network (TGN) in HHV-6A-infected cells. Furthermore, analysis using a U23-defective mutant virus showed that the gene is nonessential for viral replication in vitro.