Although the overall picture of human cytomegalovirus (HHV-5) DNA synthesis appears typical of the herpesviruses, some novel features are emerging.

[1] Six herpes virus-group-common genes encode proteins that likely constitute the replication fork machinery, including a two-subunit DNA polymerase, a Helicase-primase complex and a single-stranded DNA-binding protein.

Photoaffinity labeling has shown that the region encompassing amino acid residues 368-902 contains the single-strand DNA-binding site of ICP8.

[6] Replication protein A is the functional equivalent of SSB in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, though there is no sequence homology.

The mitochondria of eukaryotic cells contain their own single stranded DNA binding protein.