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Specific interactions of HeLa cell proteins with proposed translation domains of the poliovirus 5' noncoding region.

To determine which sequences or structures in the poliovirus 5' noncoding region (5'NCR) are involved in binding proteins used for internal ribosome binding and protein synthesis initiation, translation competition assays were performed in rabbit reticulocyte lysates in the presence and absence of HeLa cell extract. The results revealed two functional domains in the poliovirus 5'NCR. One, requiring nucleotides (nts) 457 to 626, binds proteins that are required for translation of all mRNAs and that are present in both reticulocyte lysates and HeLa cell extracts. Another, contained within nts 286 to 456, interacts with proteins that are specific for poliovirus translation and are present in HeLa cells but not in significant amounts in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. In order to detect HeLa cell proteins that interact stably with the 5'NCR of poliovirus, UV cross-linking was used. At least four major protein-RNA complexes were identified, three of which were shown by RNA competition analysis to bind specifically to defined domains within the 5'NCR. Protein A (54 kDa) cross-linked to RNA sequences and/or structures located between nts 457 and 626; proteins B (48 kDa) and C (38 kDa) bound to nts 286 to 456.

Binding, Competitive↗

Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus-associated chronic liver disease in India: comparison of HCV antibody assay with a polymerase chain reaction for the 5' noncoding region.

The relative value of an anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) serological assay and reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction assays (RT-PCR) were investigated for the constant 5' putative noncoding region of HCV for the diagnosis of HCV-associated chronic liver diseases in India. One hundred fifteen patients with biopsy proven chronic active hepatitis and 140 cases of cirrhosis of the liver were investigated for anti-HCV antibody using a second generation commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A proportion of these patients: 42 with chronic hepatitis and 27 with cirrhosis of the liver were analysed further for HCV RNA in the serum using RT-nested PCR assay. Thirty-three (12.9%) of the 255 patients were positive for anti-HCV antibody and 23 of 69 (33.3%) patients were positive for HCV RNA in serum. Fifteen of the 33 (45.5%) anti-HCV positive patients had HCV RNA in the serum. Eight of 36 (22.2%) HCV seronegative patients tested were found with HCV RNA. This indicates that the diagnosis of HCV infection is not possible if it is based solely on the available serodiagnostic tests. Inclusion of both assays improved the diagnostic efficiency, 18.8% (13/69) were negative for all virological markers associated with HBV and HCV infection. Since a majority of the chronic liver disease patients (143/255 [56%]) were seronegative for either HBV or HCV infection, it is significant that HCV RNA was detected in 38% (8/21) of a randomly selected group from these patients. The antibody assay and PCR were compared using interclass correlation (kappa statistics).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

A cloned human immunoglobulin heavy chain gene with a novel direct-repeat sequence in 5' flanking region.

A rearranged human immunoglobulin gamma 1 heavy-chain gene (HIG1) was cloned from a human plasma cell leukemia cell line, ARH-77. The cloned gene possessed a unique direct repeat sequence of 84 bp in the 5' flanking region as well as an enhancer-like element in the JH-C gamma 1 intron. The latter sequence is located 1 kb downstream of 3' end of the J6 exon. The direct-repeat sequence in the 5'-flanking region contained a core-like sequence resembling that of viral enhancer elements. It is located in the intron between two leader exons. P1 nuclease mapping and exonuclease VII digestion experiments showed that most of the direct repeats are noncoding regions and spliced out from the transcript. These data suggested that HIG1 gene might have two kinds of enhancer-like elements at both sides of the V region gene. HIG1 gene has been introduced by the protoplast fusion into mouse myeloma cells (NSI and J558L cells) and mouse fibroblasts. A pSV2gpt vector containing HIG1 gene (pSV2-HIG1) was used to transform the cells. The amounts of mRNA synthesized in the transformed cells were at least 50 to 100 times larger than those in ARH-77 cells, although about one copy of HIG1 gene was present in DNA of a transformed cell. HIG1 gene was not expressed in fibroblasts, indicating that the enhancer of HIG1 gene acts in a tissue-specific manner but not in a species-specific one. The role of two kinds of enhancer-like elements in HIG1 gene is discussed in connection with the high-level expression of this gene in mouse myeloma cells.

Animals↗

Comparison of hepatitis C virus genotyping by 5' noncoding region- and core-based reverse transcriptase PCR assay with sequencing and use of the assay for determining subtype distribution in India.

Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences of the 5' noncoding regions (5'NCR) of 149 samples from hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-positive chronic carriers representing northern, southern, eastern, and western India showed that type 3 and type 1 are the predominant genotypes circulating in India, with an overall prevalence of 53.69 and 38.25%, respectively. Type 4 viruses (6.04%) were seen only in southern India. Sequence analysis of the core region of 51 of the above isolates enabled us to classify them further into subtypes as 1b (number of isolates [n] = 10), 1a (n = 6), 3a (n = 9), 3g (n = 14), 3f (n = 1), and 4d (n = 3). Three new subtypes were identified for the first time and designated as 3i (n = 5), 3j (n = 2), and 6l (n = 1). Sequencing the 5'NCR could differentiate HCV types, whereas classification at the level of subtype was possible with sequence analysis of the core region.

Base Sequence↗

RNA recombination in brome mosaic virus: effects of strand-specific stem-loop inserts.

A model system of a single-stranded trisegment Brome mosaic bromovirus (BMV) was used to analyze the mechanism of homologous RNA recombination. Elements capable of forming strand-specific stem-loop structures were inserted at the modified 3' noncoding regions of BMV RNA3 and RNA2 in either positive or negative orientations, and various combinations of parental RNAs were tested for patterns of the accumulating recombinant RNA3 components. The structured negative-strand stem-loops that were inserted in both RNA3 and RNA2 reduced the accumulation of RNA3-RNA2 recombinants to a much higher extent than those in positive strands or the unstructured stem-loop inserts in either positive or negative strands. The use of only one parental RNA carrying the stem-loop insert reduced the accumulation of RNA3-RNA2 recombinants even further, but only when the stem-loops were in negative strands of RNA2. We assume that the presence of a stable stem-loop downstream of the landing site on the acceptor strand (negative RNA2) hampers the reattachment and reinitiation processes. Besides RNA3-RNA2 recombinants, the accumulation of nontargeted RNA3-RNA1 and RNA3-RNA3 recombinants were observed. Our results provide experimental evidence that homologous recombination between BMV RNAs more likely occurs during positive- rather than negative-strand synthesis.

Base Sequence↗

Replicase-binding sites on plus- and minus-strand brome mosaic virus RNAs and their roles in RNA replication in plant cells.

The cis-acting elements for Brome mosaic virus (BMV) RNA synthesis have been characterized primarily for RNA3. To identify additional replicase-binding elements, nested fragments of all three of the BMV RNAs, both plus- and minus-sense fragments, were constructed and tested for binding enriched BMV replicase in a template competition assay. Ten RNA fragments containing replicase-binding sites were identified; eight were characterized further because they were more effective competitors. All eight mapped to noncoding regions of BMV RNAs, and the positions of seven localized to sequences containing previously characterized core promoter elements (C. C. Kao, Mol. Plant Pathol. 3:55-62, 2001), thus suggesting the identities of the replicase-binding sites. Three contained the tRNA-like structures that direct minus-strand RNA synthesis, three were within the 3' region of each minus-strand RNA that contained the core promoter for genomic plus-strand initiation, and one was in the core subgenomic promoter. Single-nucleotide mutations known previously to abolish RNA synthesis in vitro prevented replicase binding. When tested in the context of the respective full-length RNAs, the same mutations abolished BMV RNA synthesis in transfected barley protoplasts. The eighth site was within the intercistronic region (ICR) of plus-strand RNA3. Further mapping showed that a sequence of 22 consecutive adenylates was responsible for binding the replicase, with 16 being the minimal required length. Deletion of the poly(A) sequence was previously shown to severely debilitate BMV RNA replication in plants (E. Smirnyagina, Y. H. Hsu, N. Chua, and P. Ahlquist, Virology 198:427-436, 1994). Interestingly, the B box motif in the ICR of RNA3, which has previously been determined to bind the 1a protein, does not bind the replicase. These results identify the replicase-binding sites in all of the BMV RNAs and suggest that the recognition of RNA3 is different from that of RNA1 and RNA2.

Base Sequence↗

Complete nucleotide sequence of a strain of coxsackie B4 virus of human origin that induces diabetes in mice and its comparison with nondiabetogenic coxsackie B4 JBV strain.

The E2 strain of coxsackie B4 virus (CB4), which is of human origin, can induce a diabetes-like syndrome in mice. The cDNA of the genome of the E2 strain was cloned and sequenced. The E2 viral genome was found to comprise 7,396 bases, which appear to encode a polyprotein of 2,183 amino acids with an overall similarity of 94.91% to nondiabetogenic CB4 prototype JBV strain. The E2 genome is organized like other enteroviruses. It has a 5' noncoding region of 744 nucleotides, a single long open translational reading frame starting at nucleotide 745 and extending to nucleotide 7293, a 3' noncoding region of 100 nucleotides, and a poly (A) tract. Genomic sequence comparison of the E2 and JBV strains showed 1,369 nucleotide substitutions in the genome of the E2 strain, most of which are single and silent. There were 111 resultant amino acid changes arising from some of these substitutions, including 82 amino acid changes in the noncapsid proteins, and 29 amino acid changes in the capsid proteins VP1, VP2, VP3, and VP4, which showed 11, 13, 4, and 1 substitution(s), respectively. Noncapsid protein P2-C showed eight amino acid substitutions. On the basis of the sequence comparison of E2 and JBV strains of CB4, we suggest that some of the amino acid changes in the capsid and noncapsid proteins of the E2 strain may be involved in the determination of its diabetogenicity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Coding sequences enhance internal initiation of translation by hepatitis A virus RNA in vitro.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV), unlike other picornaviruses, has a slow-growth phenotype in permissive cell lines and in general does not induce host cell cytopathology. Although there are no published reports of productive infection of HeLa cells by HAV, HAV RNA appears to be readily translated in HeLa cells when transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase provided by a recombinant vaccinia virus. The 5' noncoding region of HAV was fused to poliovirus (PV) coding sequences to determine the effect on translation efficiency in HeLa cell extracts in vitro. Conditions were optimized for utilization of the HAV internal ribosome entry segment (IRES). Transcripts from chimeric constructs fused precisely at the initiation codon were translated very poorly. However, chimeric RNAs which included 114 or more nucleotides from the HAV capsid coding sequences downstream of the initiation codon were translated much more efficiently than those lacking these sequences, making HAV-directed translation efficiency similar to that directed by the PV IRES. Sixty-six nucleotides were insufficient to confer increased translation efficiency. The most 5'-terminal HAV 138 nucleotides, previously determined to be upstream of the IRES, had an inhibitory effect on translation efficiency. Constructs lacking these terminal sequences, or those in which the PV 5'-terminal sequences replaced those from HAV, translated three- to fourfold better than those with the intact HAV 5'-terminal end.

Cell Extracts↗

Hypocomplementemia associated with hepatitis C viremia in sera from voluntary blood donors.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection induces extra-hepatic manifestations, most of which are considered to be mediated by circulating immune complexes. For evaluating this association in a wider perspective, complement activity was determined in sera from apparently healthy individuals, and hypocomplementemia was tested for correlation with HCV viremia. METHODS: Sera from 10,532 voluntary blood donors were stored at 4 degrees C overnight, serially diluted 2-fold, and tested for hemolytic activity by a microtitration method and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) by passive hemagglutination with recombinant HCV antigens of the second generation. HCV RNA was determined in sera with anti-HCV or hypocomplementemia, or both, by polymerase chain reaction with nested primers deduced from the 5'-noncoding region of the HCV genome. RESULTS: Hypocomplementemia was detected in 53 (0.5%) of 10,532 donations and anti-HCV in 94 (0.9%). Anti-HCV was detected in 48 (91%) of the 53 sera with hypocomplementemia, more frequently than in 46 (0.44%) of 10,479 sera without (p < 0.001). Among 94 sera positive for anti-HCV, HCV RNA was detected in 45 (94%) of 48 sera with hypocomplementemia, more often than in 10 (22%) of 46 sera without (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A close association of hypocomplementemia with HCV viremia among apparently healthy blood donors would reflect circulating immune complexes which may cause extrahepatic diseases, such as cryoglobulinemia and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, in some HCV carriers. The storage of sera from HCV carriers at 4 degrees C before the test would have contributed to a decreased hemolytic activity due to the cold activation of complement by cryoglobulins involving HCV.

Adult↗

The importance of a single G in the hairpin loop of the iron responsive element (IRE) in ferritin mRNA for structure: an NMR spectroscopy study.

Noncoding sequences regulate the function of mRNA and DNA. In animal mRNAs, iron responsive elements (IREs) regulate the synthesis of proteins for iron storage, uptake and red cell heme formation. Folding of the IRE was indicated previously by reactivity with chemical and enzymatic probes. 1H- and 31P-NMR spectra now confirm the IRE folding; an atypical 31P-spectrum, differential accessibility of imino protons to solvents, multiple long-range NOEs and heat stable subdomains were observed. Biphasic hyperchromic transitions occurred (52 and 73 degrees C). A G-C base pair occurs in the hairpin loop (HL) (based on dimethylsulfate, RNAse T1 previously used, and changes in NMR imino proton resonances typical of G-C base pairs after G/A substitution). Mutation of the hairpin loop also decreased temperature stability and changed the 31P-NMR spectrum; regulation and protein (IRP) binding were previously shown to change. Alteration of IRE structure shown by NMR spectroscopy, occurred at temperatures used in studies of IRE function, explaining loss of IRP binding. The effect of the HL mutation on the IRE emphasizes the importance of HL structure in other mRNAs, viral RNAs (e.g. HIV-TAR), and ribozymes.

Animals↗

Derivation and characterization of a dengue type 1 host range-restricted mutant virus that is attenuated and highly immunogenic in monkeys.

We recently described the derivation of a dengue serotype 2 virus (DEN2mutF) that exhibited a host range-restricted phenotype; it was severely impaired for replication in cultured mosquito cells (C6/36 cells). DEN2mutF virus had selected mutations in genomic sequences predicted to form a 3' stem-loop structure (3'-SL) that is conserved among all flavivirus species. The 3'-SL constitutes the downstream terminal similar95 nucleotides of the 3' noncoding region in flavivirus RNA. Here we report the introduction of these same mutational changes into the analogous region of an infectious DNA derived from the genome of a human-virulent dengue serotype 1 virus (DEN1), strain Western Pacific (DEN1WP). The resulting DEN1 mutant (DEN1mutF) exhibited a host range-restricted phenotype similar to that of DEN2mutF virus. DEN1mutF virus was attenuated in a monkey model for dengue infection in which viremia is taken as a correlate of human virulence. In spite of the markedly reduced levels of viremia that it induced in monkeys compared to DEN1WP, DEN1mutF was highly immunogenic. In addition, DEN1mutF-immunized monkeys retained high levels of neutralizing antibodies in serum and were protected from challenge with high doses of the DEN1WP parent for as long as 17 months after the single immunizing dose. Phenotypic revertants of DEN1mutF and DEN2mutF were each detected after a total of 24 days in C6/36 cell cultures. Complete nucleotide sequence analysis of DEN1mutF RNA and that of a revertant virus, DEN1mutFRev, revealed that (i) the DEN1mutF genome contained no additional mutations upstream from the 3'-SL compared to the DEN1WP parent genome and (ii) the DEN1mutFRev genome contained de novo mutations, consistent with our previous hypothesis that the defect in DEN2mutF replication in C6/36 cells was at the level of RNA replication. A strategy for the development of a tetravalent dengue vaccine is discussed.

Animals↗

Retroviral insertions in the murine His-1 locus activate the expression of a novel RNA that lacks an extensive open reading frame.

The His-1 locus is a common site of viral insertion in murine myeloid leukemias induced by the wild mouse ecotropic retrovirus, CasBrM. In this report, we describe the cloning of a novel gene at the His-1 locus and show that His-1 expression is associated with the transformed phenotype. Northern (RNA) blot analysis identified His-1 transcripts in four transformed myeloid cell lines but in no normal tissues examined. Two of these cell lines were derived from retrovirus-induced myeloid leukemias that harbor integrated proviruses which drive His-1 gene expression by promoter insertion. The two other cell lines expressed a discrete 3-kb His-1 RNA that is derived from a novel gene consisting of three exons that span 6 kb on mouse chromosome 2. The His-1 gene is conserved as a single-copy sequence in multiple vertebrate species and is expressed as a spliced and polyadenylated RNA. A protein-coding region is not evident from analysis of the His-1 sequence because of the presence of multiple small open reading frames, none of which are greater than 219 bp. This lack of an extensive open reading frame is an unusual feature that is shared by other RNA molecules believed to function in the absence of translation.

Animals↗

Response to interferon of GB virus C and hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the response to interferon and capacity to induce liver disease of a putative non-A to E hepatitis virus designated GB virus C (GBV-C). METHODS: RNA of GBV-C was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with nested primers deduced from the 5'-noncoding region. It was titrated, along with RNA of hepatitis C virus (HCV), in 16 co-infected patients (11%) out of 140 patients who received interferon. RESULTS: At the completion of a 6-month course of interferon (total dose: 516-774 million units), GBV-C RNA disappeared from serum in seven (44%) and HCV RNA from serum in 11 (69%) patients. At 6 months after interferon treatment ended, GBV-C RNA remained cleared in three patients (19%), and HCV RNA was persistently undetectable in four (25%). One patient lost both GBV-C and HCV RNAs. The three patients whose serum was cleared of GBV-C RNA had pretreatment titers of the virus (two with 10[1]/ml and one with 10[2]/ml) that were considerably lower than the titers of 13 patients (one with 10[2]/ml, eight with 10[3]/ml, and four with > or = 10[4]/ml) without such clearance. The decrease in alanine aminotransferase levels paralleled the response of HCV RNA but not that of GBV-C RNA to interferon. The response of HCV at 6 months after interferon in the co-infected patients (4/16 or 25%) did not differ significantly from that in patients without GBV-C infection (44/124 or 35%). CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of GBV-C to interferon is comparable to but independent of HCV. Co-infection with GBV-C does not influence the response to interferon of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Antiviral Agents↗

Insertion mutagenesis to increase secondary structure within the 5' noncoding region of a eukaryotic mRNA reduces translational efficiency.

The thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus 1 was mutated by inserting oligodeoxynucleotide linkers into the region of the gene corresponding to the 5' untranslated portion of the mRNA. These linkers, when transcribed into mRNA, might be expected to form hairpin loops and hence to increase the secondary structure of the 5' end of the mRNA. Thymidine kinase insertion derivatives were examined in vivo and in vitro to determine translational efficiency. For the in vivo studies, thymidine kinase insertion derivatives were transfected into thymidine kinase deficient L cells alone and together with a selectable dominant marker, or were assayed in the COS-1 transient expression system. For in vitro studies, thymidine kinase insertion derivatives were subcloned into pSP64. Capped transcripts were analyzed for their ability to bind ribosomes and translate in rabbit reticulocyte lysates and wheat-germ extracts. The results demonstrate that translation efficiency is decreased as the number of linkers is increased and support the view that excessive secondary structure at the 5' end of eukaryotic mRNA impedes translation.

Animals↗

Genome of invertebrate iridescent virus type 3 (mosquito iridescent virus).

Iridoviruses (IVs) are classified into five genera: Iridovirus and Chloriridovirus, whose members infect invertebrates, and Ranavirus, Lymphocystivirus, and Megalocytivirus, whose members infect vertebrates. Until now, Chloriridovirus was the only IV genus for which a representative and complete genomic sequence was not available. Here, we report the genome sequence and comparative analysis of a field isolate of Invertebrate iridescent virus type 3 (IIV-3), also known as mosquito iridescent virus, currently the sole member of the genus Chloriridovirus. Approximately 20% of the 190-kbp IIV-3 genome was repetitive DNA, with DNA repeats localized in 15 apparently noncoding regions. Of the 126 predicted IIV-3 genes, 27 had homologues in all currently sequenced IVs, suggesting a genetic core for the family Iridoviridae. Fifty-two IIV-3 genes, including those encoding DNA topoisomerase II, NAD-dependent DNA ligase, SF1 helicase, IAP, and BRO protein, are present in IIV-6 (Chilo iridescent virus, prototype species of the genus Iridovirus) but not in vertebrate IVs, likely reflecting distinct evolutionary histories for vertebrate and invertebrate IVs and potentially indicative of genes that function in aspects of virus-invertebrate host interactions. Thirty-three IIV-3 genes lack homologues in other IVs. Most of these encode proteins of unknown function but also encode IIV3-053L, a protein with similarity to DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit 7; IIV3-044L, a putative serine/threonine protein kinase; and IIV3-080R, a protein with similarity to poxvirus MutT-like proteins. The absence of genes present in other IVs, including IIV-6; the lack of obvious colinearity with any sequenced IV; the low levels of amino acid identity of predicted proteins to IV homologues; and phylogenetic analyses of conserved proteins indicate that IIV-3 is distantly related to other IV genera.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nucleotide sequence and genetic organization of barley stripe mosaic virus RNA gamma.

The complete nucleotide sequences of RNA gamma from the Type and ND18 strains of barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) have been determined. The sequences are 3164 (Type) and 2791 (ND18) nucleotides in length. Both sequences contain a 5'-noncoding region (87 or 88 nucleotides) which is followed by a long open reading frame (ORF1). A 42-nucleotide intercistronic region separates ORF1 from a second, shorter open reading frame (ORF2) located near the 3'-end of the RNA. There is a high degree of homology between the Type and ND18 strains in the nucleotide sequence of ORF1. However, the Type strain contains a 366 nucleotide direct tandem repeat within ORF1 which is absent in the ND18 strain. Consequently, the predicted translation product of Type RNA gamma ORF1 (mol wt 87,312) is significantly larger than that of ND18 RNA gamma ORF1 (mol wt 74,011). The amino acid sequence of the ORF1 polypeptide contains homologies with putative RNA polymerases from other RNA viruses, suggesting that this protein may function in replication of the BSMV genome. The nucleotide sequence of RNA gamma ORF2 is nearly identical in the Type and ND18 strains. ORF2 codes for a polypeptide with a predicted molecular weight of 17,209 (Type) or 17,074 (ND18) which is known to be translated from a subgenomic (sg) RNA. The initiation point of this sgRNA has been mapped to a location 27 nucleotides upstream of the ORF2 initiation codon in the intercistronic region between ORF1 and ORF2. The sgRNA is not coterminal with the 3'-end of the genomic RNA, but instead contains heterogeneous poly(A) termini up to 150 nucleotides long (J. Stanley, R. Hanau, and A. O. Jackson, 1984, Virology 139, 375-383). In the genomic RNA gamma, ORF2 is followed by a short poly(A) tract and a 238-nucleotide tRNA-like structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genomic characterization of type 2 polioviruses isolated from vaccine-associated cases in Brazil.

Twenty strains of P2/Sabin-related polioviruses isolated in Brazil were analyzed; ten from persistent paralytic poliomyelitis cases, three from suspected polio cases with transient paralysis, and seven from healthy contacts. The serotypes of the viral isolates were identified by the neutralization test with hyperimmune equine sera. The relationship of the isolates to the P2/Sabin strain was demonstrated by molecular hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Partial sequencing demonstrated mutations at nucleotide 481 in the 5' noncoding region and at amino acid 143 of the capsid protein VP1 in most of these isolates from vaccine-associated cases in Brazil. These data support previous studies on the importance of mutations at these attenuated determinants in the establishment of the disease. However, the existence of isolates without mutations at these positions suggests that they are not essential. The results also strengthen the possibility of the participation of a mutation at nucleotide 398 in the establishment of the disease, and suggest that a mutation at nucleotide 491 or 500 may also be involved in this process. The isolates from healthy contacts presented the same mutations as the isolates from vaccine-associated cases with which they were in contact. This strengthens the observation that, although mutations in the genome of the P2/Sabin strain are important for the establishment of the disease, host factors are also involved.

Base Sequence↗

Avian carcinoma virus MH2 contains a transformation-specific sequence, mht, and shares the myc sequence with MC29, CMII, and OK10 viruses.

Avian carcinoma virus MH2 has been grouped together with MC29, CMII, and OK10, because all of these viruses share a transformation-specific sequence termed myc. A 5.2-kilobase (kb) DNA provirus of MH2 has been molecularly cloned. The complete genetic structure of MH2 is 5'-delta gag(1.9-kb)-mht(1.2-kb)-myc(1.3-kb)-delta env(?) and noncoding c-region (0.2-kb)-3'. delta gag, delta env, and c are genetic elements shared with nondefective retroviruses, whereas mht is a unique, possibly MH2 transformation-specific, sequence. Hybridizations with normal chicken DNA and cloned chicken c-myc DNA indicate that the mht sequence probably derives from a normal cellular gene that is distinct from the c-myc gene. The genetic structure of MH2 suggests that the delta gag and mht sequences function as a hybrid gene that encodes the p100 putative transforming protein. The myc sequence of MH2 appears to encode a second transforming function. Therefore, it seems that MH2 contains two genes with possible oncogenic function, whereas MC29, CMII, and OK10 each carries a single hybrid delta gag-myc transforming gene. It is remarkable that, despite these fundamental differences in their primary structures and mechanisms of gene expression, MH2 and MC29 have very similar oncogenic properties.

Cell Transformation, Viral↗