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Recovery of avian sarcoma virus from tumors induced by transformation-defective mutants

H Hanafusa, C C Halpern, D L Buchhagen

    The Journal of Experimental Medicine
    |December 1, 1977
    PubMed

    Insights

    Transformation-defective Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) mutants lacking the src gene unexpectedly formed sarcomas in chickens. These sarcomas yielded a new sarcoma virus, suggesting genetic recombination with chicken cells.

    Area of Science:

    • Virology
    • Oncology
    • Molecular Biology

    Background:

    • Transformation-defective (td) mutants of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) lack functional src genes and cannot transform chicken embryo fibroblasts in vitro.
    • Previous studies indicated that td mutants were replication-competent but lacked oncogenic potential.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the oncogenic potential of purified td mutants of the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of RSV.
    • To determine the origin of transforming viruses recovered from tumors induced by td mutants.

    Main Methods:

    • Purification of td mutants of RSV.
    • Injection of purified td mutants into newborn chickens.
    • Recovery and characterization of sarcoma viruses from induced tumors.
    • Comparative analysis of the morphology of induced foci.

    Main Results:

    • Injection of some td mutants induced sarcomas in chickens.
    • Sarcoma viruses were consistently recovered from these tumors.
    • Further purification excluded the presence of transforming RSV in the initial td preparations.
    • The recovered sarcoma viruses exhibited distinct focus morphology compared to the parental Schmidt-Ruppin RSV.

    Conclusions:

    • The generation of new sarcoma viruses from td mutants indicates a recombination event.
    • Genetic interaction between td virus and chicken cell genomes likely produced the transforming virus.
    • This finding provides insights into viral oncogenesis and potential mechanisms of viral evolution.

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