Homology between avian oncornavirus RNAs and DNA from several avian species

3H-labeled 35S RNA from avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV), Rous associated virus (RAV)-0, RAV-60, RAV-61, RAV-2, or B-77(w) was hybridized with an excess of cellular DNA from different avian species, i.e., normal or leukemic chickens, normal pheasants, turkeys, Japanese quails, or ducks. Approximately two to three copies of endogenous viral DNA were estimated to be present per diploid of normal chicken cell genome. In leukemic chicken myeloblasts induced by AMV, the number of viral sequences appeared to have doubled. The hybrids formed between viral RNA and DNA from leukemic chicken cells melted with a Tm 1 to 6 C higher than that of hybrids formed between viral RNA and normal chicken cell DNA. All of the viral RNAs tested, except RAV-61, hybridized the most with DNA from AMV-infected chicken cells, followed by DNA from normal chicken cells, and then pheasant DNA. RAV-61 RNA hybridized maximally (39%) with pheasant DNA, followed by DNA from leukemic (34%), and then normal (29%) chicken cells. All viral RNAs tested hybridized little with Japanese quail DNA (2 to 5%), turkey DNA (2 to 4%), or duck DNA (1%). DNA from normal chicken cells contained only 60 to 70% of the RAV-60 genetic information, and normal pheasant cells lacked some RAV-61 DNA sequences. RAV-60 and RAV-61 genomes were more homologous to the RAV-0 genome than to the genome of RAV-2, AMV, or B-77(s). RAV-60 and RAV-61 appear to be recombinants between endogenous and exogenous viruses.