Detection and localization of virus-specific DNA by in situ hybridization of cells during infection and rapid transformation by the murine sarcoma-leukemia virus

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Sep;71(9):3418-22. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.9.3418.

Abstract

Cytological preparations of interphase nuclei and chromosomes from mouse 3T6 cells prepared at various times after infection with the murine sarcomaleukemia virus complex were hybridized with the [(3)H]DNA product of the viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase. While uninfected nuclei had an average of 4 autoradiographic grains, infected nuclei had 30 grains at 5 hr after infection and 63-65 grains at 11 and 25 hr. Virus-specific grains were localized in the chromocenters of interphase nuclei and were found also in the centromeric heterochromatin region of metaphase chromosomes. These findings provide evidence that the viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase functions to synthesize virus-specific DNA early after infection and that newly synthesized viral DNA rapidly becomes associated with or integrated into specific intranuclear sites.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoradiography
  • Cell Nucleus / analysis*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromosomes / analysis
  • DNA, Viral / analysis*
  • DNA, Viral / biosynthesis
  • Gammaretrovirus*
  • Heterochromatin / analysis
  • Karyotyping
  • Leukemia Virus, Murine
  • Mice
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
  • Sarcoma / microbiology*
  • Time Factors
  • Tritium

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • Heterochromatin
  • Tritium
  • RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase