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Human cytomegalovirus – no longer just a DNA virus

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is classified as a DNA herpesvirus. A recent study showed that the HCMV virion contains not only DNA, but also four species of mRNA, indicating that this virus is more complex than previously believed.

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Figure 1: HCMV lytic life cycle.

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Huang, ES., Johnson, R. Human cytomegalovirus – no longer just a DNA virus. Nat Med 6, 863–864 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/78612

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