Studies in AMV DNA. II. A possible origin of DNA present in AMV virions (AMV DNA)

Some properties of cytoplasmic nonmitochondrial DNA--cyt DNA--from chicken leukemic myeloblasts were determined and compared with corresponding characteristics of AMV DNA. Our results indicate that cyt DNA and AMV DNA molecules are akin with respect to their specific radioactivities, sedimentation behaviour and melting profiles. Furthermore, the partial lack of sequence reiteration of both cyt and AMV DNAs distinguished them from the nuclear myeloblast DNA. It is concluded that cyt DNA of myeloblasts represents a set of distinctive cellular sequences some of which are liberated into the extracellular environment and are found in the AMV preparations.