The internal organization of the varicella-zoster virus genome

DNA was extracted from varicella-zoster (VZ) virions prepared in sucrose gradients. Thirty-eight molecules examined by electron microscopy were found to have a mean lenght of 46.7 μm. Examination of self-annealed VZV DNA molecules revealed that the virus genome was composed of a unique linear large sequence with a mol. wt. of 74.4 x 10⁶ to 78.4 x 10⁶, and a unique short sequence of mol. wt. approx. 9.8 x 10⁶ flanked by inverted repeat sequences of 4.7 x 10⁶ mol. wt.