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The mutational origin of serum independence in Chinese hamster cells in vitro
Author(s) -
Varshaver Nina B.,
Marshak Marina I.,
Shapiro N. I.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910310412
Subject(s) - chinese hamster , mutation , clone (java method) , mutant , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , hamster , in vitro , gene , genetics , chinese hamster ovary cell , reversion , somatic cell , germline mutation , allele , concomitant , cell culture , phenotype , medicine
The genetic mechanisms determining the ability of transformed cells to grow in a medium with a low serum content (ser + ) were studied in a clone of Chinese hamster cells with normal serum requirements. The fluctuation test has shwon that serum independence occurs as a random spontaneous event. Its rate of occurrence is about 10 −5 . The concomitant study of a gene mutation (resistance to 6‐mercaptopurine ‐ 6MP) revealed similar characteristics with respect to the distribution of the number of mutants in replicate cultures. N‐methyl‐N 1 ‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and SV40 significantly increased the frequency of ser + colonies. Induction was detected after an expression time of 3‐4 days, which is typical of gene mutations. In 16 out of 18 ser + clones of independent origin the ser + character remained stable. The results suggest that the ser + character originates in most cases from a mutation event.