Overexpression of an unstably inherited gene in cultured mouse cells

The specific activity of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (IMP:pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.8) is increased up to 58-fold in unstable gene transferents produced by the transfer of cell-free chromosomal material from one mouse L cell line to another; the specific activity of this enzyme returns to normal levels when the transferred gene becomes stabilized. This phenomenon, which is not observed in comparable heterospecific transfers, may be an effect of gene dosage (multiple copies of the transferred genetic fragment in the unstable gene transferents), or it may represent an escape of the unstably inherited gene from the normal regulatory mechanisms of the recipient cell.