Zinc reverse transcriptases from mammalian RNA type C viruses.
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Cell Line↗
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Lipopolysaccharide induces C-type virus in short term cultures of BALB/c spleen cells.
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Animals↗
Site-directed mutagenesis: effect of an extracistronic mutation on the in vitro propagation of bacteriophage Qbeta RNA.
It has been proposed that the nucleotide sequences of the 3' terminal extracistronic regions of phage RNA plus and minus strands have been strictly conserved during evolution because they are stringently required for recognition by the viral replicase. We have devised a method to generate point mutations at selected sites in the genome of phage Qbeta. The in vitro synthesis of Qbeta RAN with G leads to A transition in the 16th position from the 3' end, i.e., in the terminal extracistronic region of the genome, is outlined. When a mixture of about 60% wild-type and 40% mutant RNA was repeatedly replicated, the mutant RNA was enriched to 80%, showing that at least this point mutation in the terminal sequence of Qbeta RNA does not impair its in vitro replication, but in fact slightly accelerates it.
Base Sequence↗
Induction of endogenous murine C-type virus in spleen cell cultures treated with mitogens and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine.
In short-term cultures of BALB/c spleen cells, treatment with a combination of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and either lipopolysaccharide W. Escherichia coli or concanavalin A resulted in release of C-type virus into the medium. Only lipopolysaccharide induced virus release when given alone. This could be potentiated by a combined treatment with BrdU. In contrast, phytohemagglutinin at mitogenic concentration had no effect with or without BrdU, suggesting that inducibility may vary between various mitogen-responsive spleen cell populations. In AKR mice, spontaneous virus release was detectable in nonstimulated spleen cell cultures. This could be potentiated by lipopolysaccharide, whereas no further increase occurred upon additional BrdU treatment. The induced viruses had C-type characteristics in that they contained reverse transcriptase that could be distinguished from cellular enzymes by template-primer preference experiments. Furthermore, the enzyme activities were particle-associated, banding in isopycnic sucrose gradients at 1.15-1.17 g/cm-3. The presence of C-type viruses was confirmed by electron microscopy.
Animals↗
Type C RNA tumor virus isolated from cultured human acute myelogenous leukemia cells.
Previously, type C RNA tumor virus-related components have been described in blood leukocytes from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. These components, for example, reverse transcriptase, have been shown to be most closely related to those from two oncogenic subhuman primate type C viruses (woolly monkey sarcoma virus and gibbon ape leukemia virus). Now, we report the continuous production of budding type C viruses with the same characteristic reverse transcriptase by three separate culturings of leukocytes from a single bleeding from a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia. These isolations were made possible by the discovery of a source of conditioned media which sustains exponential growth of human myelogenous leukemia cells in liquid suspension culture.
Cell Differentiation↗
RNA processing and RNA tumor virus origin and evolution.
The results of molecular hybridization experiments with high-molecular-weight RNA isolated from RNA tumor viruses and DNA from normal cells suggest that RNA tumor virus genomes originate from cell genes. Some RNA tumor viruses (here called class 1) appear to have been generated in recent times in that their RNA is closely related in nucleotide sequence to certain cell genes (class 1 genes). A second class of RNA tumor viruses (here called class 2) is more distantly related to genomic information of normal cells. Structural properties of the RNA of RNA tumor viruses lead us to propose that the tumor virus RNA is originated when RNA transcripts of class 1 genes are processed by a mechanism we call "paraprocessing." We postulate that RNA paraprocessing is normally used only at particular times during differentiation and is characterized by the cytoplasmic appearance of high-molecular-weight RNA chains containing terminal polyadenylic acid (200 residues). Paraprocessing of class 1 gene transcripts in committed or differentiated cells is considered to be aberrant in transcription that can lead to the generation of an RNA tumor virus genome. If the paraprocessed class 1 gene transcript codes for a reverse transcriptase, replication of the RNA becomes possible. Transfer of the replicating RNA to a new cell can result in genetic change such that the virus genome mutates, differing from the original progenitor genes. We propose that this genetic change causes class 1 viruses to become class 2. These ideas are applied to evidence concerning the biology of infection of RNA tumor viruses and concerning the involvement of RNA tumor viruses in human cancer. Genetic change can also occur during the origination of an RNA tumor virus genome by repeated reverse transcription and recombination (45) or by genetic alteration of particularly changeable cell genes ("hot spots") (43).
Animals↗
Disassembly activates Retron-Septu for antiphage defense.
Retrons are antiphage defense systems that produce multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA) and hold promise for genome engineering. However, the mechanisms of defense remain unclear. The Retron-Septu system integrates retron and Septu antiphage defenses. Cryo-electron microscopy structures reveal asymmetric nucleoprotein complexes comprising a reverse transcriptase, msDNA (a hybrid of msdDNA and msrRNA), and two PtuAB copies. msdDNA and msrRNA are essential for assembling this complex, with msrRNA adopting a conserved lariat-like structure that regulates reverse transcription. Notably, the assembled Retron-Septu complex is inactive, with msdDNA occupying the PtuA DNA binding site. Activation occurs upon disassembly, releasing PtuAB, which degrades single-stranded DNA to restrict phage replication. This "arrest-and-release" mechanism underscores the dynamic regulatory roles of msDNA, advancing our understanding of antiphage defense strategies.
Cryoelectron Microscopy↗
Long-term Visna virus infection of sheep choroid plexus cells: initiation and preliminary characterization of the carrier cultures.
Two sheep choroid plexus cell cultures were maintained and propagated for 413 days since being infected with strain K796 visna virus. The majority of the cells in these cultures contained visna virus-specific antigen on days 93 and 105 after infection. Reverse transcriptase-like activity similar to that present in visna virus preparations was obtained from these cultures when very little plaque-forming virus was being synthesized. The persistently infected cultures are resistant to the cytopathic effect which occurs in uninfected cultures upon exposure to visna virus. Persistently infected cells require more time than uninfected cells to become confluent. Less than 0.02 percent of the persistently infected sheep choroid plexus cells form macroscopic colonies within 14 days, whereas 20 to 30 percent of the cells from uninfected cultures form macroscopic colonies within this time.
Animals↗
Studies on reverse transcriptase of RNA tumor viruses. I. Localization of thermolabile DNA polymerase and RNase H activities on one polypeptide.
Purified reverse transcriptase from avian myeloblastosis virus or Rous sarcoma virus consists of two subunits of average mol wt of 100,000 and 60,000. The lower-molecular-weight subunit, alpha, has been isolated from avian myeloblastosis virus, Rous sarcoma virus and a temperature-sensitive mutant of Rous sarcoma virus, LA337. Subunit alpha manifests both the DNA polymerase and RNase H activities associated with purified reverse transcriptase of avian RNA tumor viruses. The thermal inactivation of these enzymatic activities of alpha subunit from the wild-type virus. The results show that both DNA polymerase and RNase H activities associated with the alpha subunit of LA337 are five to seven times more thermolabile then the corresponding alpha subunit from the wild-type virus. It is concluded that (i) both the polymerase and nuclease activities reside on the same polypeptide chain, and (ii) at least the lower-molecular-weight subunit alpha is coded for by the viral RNA.
Avian Leukosis Virus↗
Characterization of DNA polymerase and RNA associated with A-type particles from murine myeloma cells.
The RNA-dependent DNA polymerase present in intracisternal A-type particles from mouse myeloma tumor cells has been studied. This polymerase can use either endogenous A particle RNA or an exogenous synthetic polynucleotide [poly (rA)] as a template. The DNA reaction product is small (4S-10S) and over 90% of it hybridizes to A particle RNA, whereas up to 50% of it hybridizes to murine sarcoma-leukemia virus RNAs. The RNA isolated from purified A particles is generally of low molecular weight (5S-15S) but contains small amount of 70S and 35S components. These results suggest that A-type particles may be related to C-type oncornaviruses.
Animals↗
RNA of simian sarcoma-associated virus type 1 produced in human tumor cells.
Simian sarcoma-associated virus type 1 propagated in human rhabdomyosarcoma cells exhibited characteristics typical of oncornaviruses but seemed to have several aberrant properties. It had a buoyant density of 1.14 g/cm3, had RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity, seemed to be labile to high salt concentrations, and contained little 50 to 60S RNA but relatively large amounts of human ribosomal RNA. In addition to 50 to 60S RNA, purified virions contained smaller RNA molecules with sedimentation coefficients of 28 to 30S, 18 TO 20S, and 4 to 10S. Unlike the 50 to 60S RNA species, the smaller virion-associated RNAs lacked polyadenylic acid, and the 28 to 30S RNA had an average base composition similar to that of human ribosomal RNA. Upon heat denaturation, the native 50 to 60S RNA genome yielded polyadenylic acid-containing 28 to 30S subunits that degraded in to 18 to 20S molecules upon further heat treatment. The 50 to 60S viral RNA had a guanine plus cytosine content of 56%.
Animals↗
RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity of RNA tumor viruses. V. Rous sarcoma virus single-stranded RNA-DNA covalent hybrids in infected chicken embryo fibroblast cells.
RNA-DNA covalent hybrids containing viral RNA have been isolated from nuclear fractions of Rous sarcoma virus-infected chicken embryo fibroblast cells shortly after virus infection. The formation of covalent hybrid structures depends upon a functional reverse transcriptase in vivo, since its appearance in cells is temperature dependent when infected with Rous sarcoma virus mutant LA335, which contains a temperature-sensitive reverse transcriptase.
Animals↗
A UG5 reverse transcriptase-nitrilase antiviral module confers phage immunity in the plant symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti.
Bacteriophages exert strong selective pressure on soil- and rhizosphere-associated bacteria, including plant-associated symbionts. Reverse transcriptase-associated defense systems of the UG family are widespread across bacterial lineages, yet their ecological roles remain largely undefined. Within this family, UG5 systems are distinguished by reverse transcriptases fused to or associated with a nitrilase domain. Here, we combine phylogenetic, metagenomic, and functional analyses to investigate the evolutionary context and antiviral activity of UG5-associated systems. Phylogenetic analysis of 728 nitrilase domains places UG5-associated nitrilases within a well-supported UG-related radiation encompassing the UG1, UG5, and UG6 families, with UG1 nested within a broader UG5 lineage. Metagenomic analysis further revealed UG5-associated reverse transcriptases in soil- and rhizosphere-derived metagenomes. Based on this observation, we characterized a UG5-large reverse transcriptase (RT)-associated system, here designated DRT11, encoded on the pSymA megaplasmid of Sinorhizobium meliloti RMO17, a nitrogen-fixing symbiont of Medicago sativa. Despite lacking the transmembrane protein typical of canonical UG5-large architectures, DRT11 confers protection against naturally occurring M. sativa rhizosphere phages with podovirus-like morphology. Phage infection assays reveal protection at low multiplicities of infection, consistent with an abortive-infection-like mechanism. Moreover, mutational analyses demonstrate that antiviral activity requires only the RT and its fused C-terminal nitrilase domain, establishing DRT11 as a minimal UG5-associated antiviral system.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we report the functional characterization of a UG5-large reverse transcriptase-associated defense system (DRT11) encoded on the pSymA megaplasmid of the nitrogen-fixing plant symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti. Using a combination of phylogenetic, metagenomic, genomic, and experimental approaches, we demonstrate that DRT11 functions as a bona fide antiviral defense module, providing protection against naturally occurring rhizosphere phages through a minimal reverse transcriptase-nitrilase architecture. This work establishes direct functional evidence for antiviral activity within the UG5 family and clarifies the evolutionary placement of UG5-associated systems within the broader UG radiation.
Phylogeny↗
Eukaryotic chromosome replication.
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Autoradiography↗
The oncogene hypothesis and the search for human cancer virusus.
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Animals↗
New retron systems from environmental bacteria identify triggers of anti-phage defense and expand tools for genome editing.
Retrons are bacterial immune systems that protect a bacterial population against phages by killing infected hosts. Retrons typically comprise a reverse transcriptase (RT), a template noncoding RNA that is partially reverse transcribed into RT-DNA, and a toxic effector. The reverse transcriptase (RT), noncoding RNA, and RT-DNA complex sequester the toxic effector until triggered by phage infection, at which point the toxin is released to induce cell death. Due to their ability to produce single-stranded DNA in vivo, retrons have also been engineered to produce donor templates for genome editing in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. However, the current repertoire of experimentally characterized retrons is limited, with most retrons sourced from clinical and laboratory strains of bacteria. To better understand retron biology and natural diversity, and to expand the current toolbox of retron-based genome editors, we developed a pipeline to isolate retrons and their bacterial hosts from a variety of environmental samples. Here, we identify seven new retron systems, each isolated from a different host bacterium. We characterize DNA production by these retrons and test their ability to defend against a panel of Escherichia coli phages. We find that two of these retrons are disrupted by other elements, in one case a group II intron and in another a separate defense system, yet both retrons still produce RT-DNA. For two other retrons, we further unravel their mechanism of defense by identifying the phage genes responsible for triggering abortive infection. Finally, we engineer these retrons for genome editing in E. coli, demonstrating their potential use in a biotechnological application.
Gene Editing↗
Different hematological diseases induced by type C viruses chemically activated from embryo cells of different mouse strains.
Type C RNA viruses can be induced by certain chemicals from cells of many mouse strains. Both C58 and BALB/c cells have been shown to contain endogenous viruses that are designated N-tropic because they grow preferentially in cells of NIH Swiss mouse origin. While demonstrating many similar biological and immunological properties, the C58-induced virus is around 10-fold more infectious per physical particle than the N-tropic virus of BALB/c cells. In the present studies, inoculation of these viruses into newborn NIH Swiss mice led to the development of diseases associated with splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy at similar frequency in each group. The disease induced by C58-MuLV was histophathologically diagnosed as lymphoblastic leukemia and was highly malignant following transplantation into newborn mice. The histopathological appearance of spleens from BALB/c virus-affected animals was distinguishable, demonstrating instead myeloid metaplasia or myelogenous leukemia. These findings provide evidence that different endogenous mouse type C viruses can induce distinct diseases in the same mouse strain. Furthermore, they implicate the N-tropic virus endogenous to C58 cells as a major factor in the development of lymphoblastic leukemia that occurs at high frequency in that strain.
Animals↗
Effect of glucocorticoids on activation of leukemia virus in AKR mouse embryo cells.
The effect of glucocorticoids on activation and replication of leukemia virus in AKR mouse embryo cells was analyzed. The number of cells detected as positive by fluorescent antibody techniques as well as the virus production in cells chronically producing virus was doubled at optimal concentrations of glucocorticoids. The effect of the hormones in activated cells was found to be not on the process of activation per se but rather on synthesis of the viral components after activation has occurred. Intracellular reverse transcriptase levels were not changed by hormone treatment. The stimulation of virus synthesis by glucocorticoids requires binding of the steroid to a cytoplasmic receptor protein.
Animals↗