Phosphorylation but not transport of sugars is enhanced in virus-transformed mouse 3T3 cells

The transport and phosphorylation of 2-deoxy-D-glucose are separate and sequential events in both normal and virus-transformed 3T3 cells. The apparent enhancement of 2-dOG uptake by 3T3 cells accompanying virus transformation is not due to an effect on the transport process but to enhanced phosphorylation by intracellular kinases. Phosphorylation of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose does not occur in these cells. Both the rate and extent of transport of this glucose analog is the same in normal cells, SV40 virus-transformed cells and sarcoma virus-transformed cells. The appropriateness of using 3-O-MeG for studies of the glucose transport system of animal cells is examined and discussed.