Differential transcription from the long terminal repeats of integrated avian leukosis virus DNA

In avian leukosis virus-induced lymphoma and erythroblastosis, the expression of the proto-oncogenes c-myc and c-erbB is activated by downstream or readthrough transcripts initiated within integrated proviral DNA. To determine the relative abundance of viral RNAs extending into the downstream cellular sequences independently of the effects that may be exerted by specific sites of proviral integration, we examined the RNA of infected avian fibroblasts. Using a nuclease protection strategy to detect downstream, readthrough, and normal viral RNAs and to distinguish them from each other, we found that transcripts initiated within the 3' long terminal repeat, i.e., downstream transcripts, were undetectable in infected fibroblasts and could not have amounted to more than 1 to 2% of the total viral RNA. However, readthrough RNAs, which are transcripts initiated within the 5' long terminal repeat and extended beyond the viral polyadenylation site into the downstream cellular DNA, were present at relatively high levels, making up approximately 15% of the total viral RNA.