Description of a Nonlethal Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Glycoprotein D Deletion Mutant Affecting a Site Frequently Used for PCR

We report a herpes simplex virus type 1 mutant which failed to amplify with a commonly used glycoprotein D primer set. The virus contained a nine-base deletion in the gene's 5′ nontranslated region. The altered amplicon was clearly distinguishable on a 4% high-resolution agarose gel.