The early enhancer-promoter of BKV and host range for transformation

The early genes of the human papovavirus BKV and simian virus 40 (SV40) show a different host range for transformation. The early region of SV40 efficiently transforms human fibroblast cells, whereas the early region of BKV does not. Interchanging noncoding enhancer-promoter sequences around the origin of replication between BKV and SV40 showed that the early enhancer-promoter sequences of BKV and SV40 could substitute for each other, as far as the induction of expression of tumor antigens and morphological transformation is concerned; the efficiency of transformation was influenced by the enhancer-promoter sequences, and the difference in host range for transformation between BKV and SV40 was determined by the early gene products rather than by the enhancer-promoter sequences.