Abstract: Recombinant vectors containing infectious viral genomic sequences as well as sequences of a cloning vehicle, a cell comprising the vector, a method for producing the vectors, a method of mutagenizing an infectious viral genomic sequence in the vector, and a vector obtained by the method.

Abstract: A recombinant vector containing infectious genome of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and being useful for the production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining phenotypic characteristics of a clinical virus isolate including the ability to grow on endothelial cells and to induce microfusion is characterized in that it is obtainable by inserting DNA from a clinical isolate of HCMV virus into a bacterial cloning vehicle. Such vector can be used e.g., for production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining the phenotypic characteristics of a parental clinical isolate and for studying genes and functions of genes of HCMV virus. A further aspect are mutant viruses and inter alia their use for studying aspects of infectivity of HCMV virus.

Abstract: A recombinant vector containing infectious genome of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and being useful for the production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining phenotypic characteristics of a clinical virus isolate including the ability to grow on endothelial cells and to induce microfusion is characterized in that it is obtainable by inserting DNA from a clinical isolate of HCMV virus into a bacterial cloning vehicle. Such vector can be used e.g., for production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining the phenotypic characteristics of a parental clinical isolate and for studying genes and functions of genes of HCMV virus. A further aspect are mutant viruses and inter alia their use for studying aspects of infectivity of HCMV virus.

Abstract: A recombinant vector containing infectious genome of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and being useful for the production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining phenotypic characteristics of a clinical virus isolate including the ability to grow on endothelial cells and to induce microfusion is characterized in that it is obtainable by inserting DNA from a clinical isolate of HCMV virus into a bacterial cloning vehicle. Such vector can be used e.g., for production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining the phenotypic characteristics of a parental clinical isolate and for studying genes and functions of genes of HCMV virus. A further aspect are mutant viruses and inter alia their use for studying aspects of infectivity of HCMV virus.

Abstract: The patent application PCT/EP02/01867 (WO 02/066629) “Recombinant vector containing infectious human cytomegalovirus genome with preserved wild-type characteristics of clinical isolates” describes the cloning of a leukotropic and endothelial cell tropic clinical isolate of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) as a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) in E. coli. The cloned wild-type genome of HCMV was designated FIX-BAC (Fusion-Inducing-Factor-X)-BAC (Hahn, Khan et al., 2002). The patent application PCT/EP02/01867 (WO 02/066629) also describes the construction of virus mutants using FIX-BAC technology and subsequent phenotypical testing of virus mutants for loss of wild-type features such as leukocyte and endothelial cell tropism. The genetic determinants of endothelial cell and leukocyte tropism were assigned to the UL132-UL128 genetic locus of HCMV.

Abstract: A recombinant vector containing infectious genome of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and being useful for the production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining phenotypic characteristics of a clinical virus isolate including the ability to grow on endothelial cells and to induce microfusion is characterized in that it is obtainable by inserting DNA from a clinical isolate of HCMV virus into a bacterial cloning vehicle. Such vector can be used e.g. for production of reconstituted HCMV virus retaining the phenotypic characteristics of a parental clinical isolate and for studying genes and functions of genes of HCMV virus. A further aspect are mutant viruses and inter alia their use for studying aspects of infectivity of HCMV virus.