P85: a gag-mos polyprotein encoded by ts110 Moloney murine sarcoma virus

Antibody to a synthetic peptide (anti-C3 serum) with the predicted sequence of the C terminus of the Moloney murine sarcoma virus (strain 124) v-mos gene was used in immunoprecipitation experiments with cytoplasmic extracts of a clone of NRK cells infected with ts110 Moloney murine sarcoma virus, termed 6m2 cells. ts110 Moloney murine sarcoma virus codes for two viral proteins of 85,000 and 58,000 M(r), termed P85 and P58, respectively, in nonproducer 6m2 cells maintained at 33 degrees C. Anti-C3 serum specifically recognized [(3)H]leucine-labeled P85, but not P58, from infected cells maintained at 33 degrees C, whereas antiserum prepared against murine leukemia virus p12 recognized both proteins. Normal serum and anti-C3 serum pretreated with excess C3 peptide did not precipitate P85. Immunoprecipitation experiments after metabolic labeling of 6m2 cells with (32)P(i) showed that P85 is phosphorylated. Both anti-C3 and anti-p12 sera specifically detected (32)P-labeled P85. Cell-free translation of ts110 murine sarcoma virus/murine lukemia virus RNA produces P85, P58, and helper virus protein Pr63(gag). Anti-C3 serum specifically precipitated P85 but neither P58 nor Pr63(gag). We conclude from these studies that P85 is a product of both the gag and mos genes of ts110 murine sarcoma virus, and, therefore, it is referred to as P85(gag-mos). We have not detected any other v-mos gene product in ts110-infected cells.