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Thymidine kinase genes and the induction of anti‐rival responses by interferon
Author(s) -
Mengheri Elena,
Esteban Mariano,
Lewis John A.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(83)80565-1
Subject(s) - thymidine kinase , interferon , biology , clone (java method) , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , thymidine , endonuclease , cell culture , restriction enzyme , fibroblast , dna , virology , virus , genetics , herpes simplex virus
A mouse fibroblast cell‐line deficient in thymidine kinase (Ltk(−) aprt(−)) fails to show an anti‐rival response when treated with interferon. After introduction of a viral tk gene into these cells the resultant clones showed normal responses to interferon. However, one such tk ‐containing clone (C6) spontaneously lost its ability to respond to interferon by inducing an antiviral state although it retained its ability to induce the enzyme oligo(2′–5′ A)‐synthetase. This sub‐clone(6A) still expressed thymidine kinase activity but restriction endonuclease analysis indicated an alteration in the sequences flanking the exogenous viral tk gene. Our results suggest that a modification in the exogenous viral DNA sequences led to a loss of interferon sensitivity.