Expression of the mouse c-abl type IV proto-oncogene product in the insect cell baculovirus system

The cellular gene c-abl is the normal homologue of the transforming gene (v-abl) within the genome of the Abelson leukaemia virus. The cDNA sequence coding for the cellular form of the murine abl gene (c-abl type IV) has been inserted into the baculovirus transfer vector, pAc36C, so that the c-abl gene is under the control of the polyhedrin promoter of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV). Spodoptera frugiperda cells infected with the recombinant transfer vector in the presence of wild type AcNPV DNA yielded recombinant, polyhedrin negative virus that expressed moderate levels of the c-Abl protein (representing approx. 0.5-1% of the stained cellular proteins as determined by densitometric scanning). The insect derived c-Abl protein was compared to the P210-BCR/ABL protein from K562 cells, a cell line derived from a patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia. Antibodies raised against synthetic peptides based on c-abl encoded peptides react with the insect derived c-Abl. In addition, the baculovirus derived c-Abl protein has a tyrosine kinase activity as demonstrated by phosphorylation of a synthetic polypeptide and also by autophosphorylation. Phosphoamino acid analysis of immunoprecipitated, autophosphorylated baculovirus derived c-Abl protein indicates that the majority of label incorporated is on the tyrosine residues. Immunofluorescence microscopy has been used to show that the majority of the c-Abl protein expressed in cells infected with recombinant virus is located in the nuclear and plasma membranes.