Open AccessSimian virus 40 deletion mutants that transform with reduced efficiency.
Author(s) -
Lauren Sompayrac,
Kathleen J. Danna
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.3.3.484
Subject(s) - mutant , biology , transformation (genetics) , microbiology and biotechnology , virus , phenotype , dna , wild type , mutation , virology , antigen , cell culture , gene , genetics
We have constructed two simian virus 40 (SV40) early-region deletion mutants that lack a significant portion of the sequences normally used to encode the SV40 large tumor antigen. Despite these deletions, the mutants were able to transform mouse cells in a focus assay, although with a frequency that was drastically reduced relative to wild-type SV40. Cell lines expanded from the mutant-transformed foci contained integrated mutant DNA, expressed an SV40 tumor antigen (small-t), and exhibited a range of transformed phenotypes, which included the ability to grow while suspended in soft agar. We also present evidence that these mutants are defective for abortive transformation in an assay that tested the transient loss of anchorage dependence. Their ability to stably transform, contrasted with their inability to abortively transform at detectable levels, raises the possibility that the mechanism by which these mutants transform may be different from that of wild-type SV40.