Sequences associated with intracisternal A particles are reiterated in the mouse genome

Using a 3H-cDNA for RNA sequences specifically associated with murine intracisternal type A particles, we have found multiple copies of this information in high molecular weight nuclear DNA from tissues of both Mus muscules (BALB/c, NIH Swiss, A/Jax and feral) and Mus cervicolor. Reiteration frequencies varied from 1050-1800 per haploid genome, except that fewer copies (450) were found in BALB/3T3 cells. In the series studied, the reiteration frequencies in the DNA of A particle-rich tumor cells (myeloma and neuroblastoma) were not higher than those in normal tissues (liver and sperm). Multiple copies were retained when cellular DNAs were sedimented through alkaline sucrose gradients, indicating that the sequences are integrated in the mouse genome. In situ hybridization with cDNA showed that the sequences were associated with many chromosomes and were concentrated over certain regions of some chromosomes. Only low levels of homologous sequences were detected in rat, hamster and guinea pig DNA under stringent conditions of hybridization. The presence of reiterated sequence transcripts in poly(A) RNA from a neuroblastoma A particle fraction was confirmed by direct hybridization of the RNA with cellular DNA.