Qualitative and quantitative studies of AKR-type murine leukemia virus sequences in mouse DNA

Utilizing a single-stranded [3H]DNA probe highly representative of AKR viral 70S RNA, we have performed association kinetics experiments with cellular DNA in vast excess from 3 high-, 5 low- and 4 non-virus-yielding mouse strains. Our hybridization studies indicate that in the strains so far tested, the complete genome of the AKR-type MLV is present in the DNA of the embryos of both high- and low-virus-yielding mouse strains, while DNA of non-virus strains contains only a part of the genome. Furthermore, at least two populations of virus-specific DNA sequences can be identified (more abundant and less abundant species) according to their rate of association. Low-virus-yielding mouse strains contain a smaller number (1-2 copies) of the less abundant species, and thus a lower number of complete viral genome than do high-virus strains (3-4 copies). Non-virus-yielding strains are lacking these less abundant sequences in their genome. DNA from wild Mus musculus also contained viral sequences, the sample tested showing association kinetics identical to the non-virus-producing strains. Thus there is a good correlation between completeness of the AKR-type MLV genome in cellular DNA and the capacity of the cells to release AKR-type MLV. Mice of a non-virus-yielding strain made partially congenic for the AKR virus-inducing locus Akv-1 contained the complete virus genome, confirming that this locus consists of structural genes of the virus.