Genetically engineered cell line for detecting infectious herpes simplex virus and method therefore

A genetically engineered cell line stably transformed with a sequence of DNA from a herpes virus family member wherein said herpes virus family member is Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 and said sequence of DNA is comprised of a promoter from a UL39 gene wherein said promoter has properties of inducibility by transactivators of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, specificity for transactivators of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, and non-constitutive expression, operably linked to a reporter gene, the expression of the reporter gene being dependent upon and quantitatively proportional to the presence of the herpes virus.

A cell line identified as BHKICP6LacZ cells.

A cell line identified as BHKICP6LucA cells.

A kit for assaying for the presence of infectious herpes virus in a specimen, said kit comprising:

• a supply of genetically engineered mammalian cells susceptible to infection by herpes virus, the cells comprising a stably transformed sequence of DNA from a herpes virus family member wherein said herpes virus family member is Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 and said sequence of DNA is comprised of a promoter from a UL39 gent wherein said promoter has properties of inducibility by transactivators of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, specificity for transactivators of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, and non-constitutive expression, and a reporter gene, the expression of said reporter gene being dependent upon and quantitatively proportional to the presence of herpes virus in the specimen;
• and
• a supply of reagents to detect the expression of said reporter gene.