Spontaneous Mutagenesis of Herpesvirus in Human Cells Depends on Cell Monolayer Density

The authors have been using mammalian viruses as probes of mutagenic processes in irradiated mammalian cells. Earlier attempts to investigate radiation-induced mutagenesis of herpesvirus in normal human cells had been complicated by varying background levels of mutagenesis of the virus. The authors therefore studied the effects of different cell culture conditions on viral mutagenesis. The resulting data indicate an important correlation between cell monolayer density and spontaneous mutagenesis of herpesvirus.