Karyological characterization of a human lymphoblastoid cell line resistant to 6-thioguanine

A mutant human lymphoblastoid cell line, Raji-TG, resistant to 10micron g 6-thioguanine (TG)/ml was produced from wild-type cells after exposure to ethylmethane sulfonate. The Raji-TG cells showed their failure to incorporate 3H-hypoxanthine, only 2% as much hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) activity as wild-type cells, and no revertant in HAT selective medium containing bypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine. Raji-TG cells, which were maintained routinely in regular medium lacking TG for as long as 2 years, still retained resistance to the drug and inability to grow in HAT medium. A fusion of Raji-TG cells and mouse cells resistant to 5-bromodeoxyuridine and lacking thymidine kinase formed hybrids, and the resulting hybrid colonies proliferated in HAT medium. These observations strongly supported the hypothesis that Raji-TG line cells might be originated from a mutational event with deficiency of HPRT. Both parental and the mutant have a modal chromosome number of 49 with a remarkably stable karyotype. Excess chromosome materials are found in chromosomes 1, 5, 7, 14, and 16. Chromosome 8 is completely missing, but is represented by two respective isochromosomes of the short and long arms of No. 8. Five different marker chromosomes could be distinguished, and most of their origin has been determined. Isolation of Raji-TG X mouse hybrid clones which contained one of each marker chromosome is of considerable value in mapping human genes on regions within particular chromosomes.