Assignment of low-molecular-weight human (2', 5')A synthetase to chromosome 11

Human low-molecular-weight (2', 5')A synthetase is induced in certain human X mouse somatic hybrid cell lines when these cells are treated with mouse interferon. We have assigned the gene coding for this interferon-inducible antiviral enzyme to human chromosome 11 by somatic cell genetic techniques (1). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting for cells expressing or lacking 4F2 antigen in two independently derived, chromosome 11-containing hybrid cell lines separated the cells into subpopulations of cells that had retained or segregated chromosome 11, respectively (2). We used these subpopulations to confirm our gene assignment by demonstrating that retention of chromosome 11 was required for expression of human (2', 5')A synthetase.