Induction of human high K(M) 5'-nucleotidase in cultured 293 cells

Human 293 cells were stably transfected with a plasmid introducing a receptor for the ecdysone analog muristerone. The cells were further stably transfected with muristerone-inducible expression vectors carrying either the cDNA for the human high K(M) 5'-nucleotidase or the coding sequence of the nucleotidase linked to the 5'-end of the sequence for the green fluorescent protein. Upon induction, both types of transfectants overproduced nucleotidase activity in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Western blots gave values close to the expected subunit molecular masses of 65 and 92 kDa, respectively, excluding processing of the induced proteins. Cells induced to overexpress the nucleotidase showed a decreased growth rate and contained smaller pools of each of the four common ribonucleoside triphosphates. They showed no increased resistance to the toxicity of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine.