Protein Seen to Play Role in Herpes Reactivation - Expression of VP16 appears to start the lytic cycle of the herpes simplex virus - Modern Medicine

Expression of a virion protein called VP16 appears to be necessary for herpes simplex virus to exit its latent state, according to research published in the March issue of PLoS Pathogens.

Richard L. Thompson, Ph.D., of the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Ohio, and colleagues used a mouse model of ocular herpes simplex virus pathogenesis along with viral mutants to assess latency and exit from latency at a neuronal level."