Transformation-defective, temperature-sensitive mutants of Rous sarcoma virus have a reversibly defective src-gene product

Increased frequency of P-glycoprotein gene amplification in colchicine-resistant Rat-1 clones transformed by v-src

A rat fibroblast cell line (Rat-1) carrying a temperature-sensitive mutation of v-src was used to determine whether inducible cellular transformation altered the ability of cells to amplify the p-glycoprotein gene in response to colchicine selection. Transformed and nontransformed Rat-1 fibroblasts selected under 4 times the LD50 generated the same number of colchicine-resistant colonies. We next examined colchicine-resistant colonies derived from transformed cells and compared them to colchicine-resistant colonies derived from nontransformed cells. When Rat-1 cells were selected at 35 degrees C (transforming temperature), 7 out of 7 clones exhibited a 3- to 5-fold p-glycoprotein gene amplification. These results contrasted to those found at the nontransforming temperature (40 degrees C); none of the 8 colchicine-resistant clones examined had amplified the p-glycoprotein gene. Thus in Rat-1 cells carrying a temperature-sensitive v-src gene, p-glycoprotein gene amplification was observed at a high frequency only in transformed clones selected at the temperature permissive for v-src activity.

Cell transformation by c-fos requires an extended period of expression and is independent of the cell cycle

The proto-oncogene transcription factors Fos and Jun form a heterodimeric complex that binds to DNA and regulates expression of specific target genes. Continuous expression of c-fos causes transformation of cultured fibroblasts and induces osteogenic sarcoma in mice. To investigate the molecular basis of fos-mediated oncogenesis, we developed a conditional cell transformation system in which Fos expression was regulated by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Synthesis or repression of Fos in L1-3c-fos cells occurred rapidly, within 30 min, after the removal or addition of IPTG to the culture medium. However, there was a significant delay between the induction of Fos expression and the appearance of morphological transformation. No effect was observed after 12 h of Fos expression, partial transformation was detected after 24 h, and full transformation required approximately 3 days of continuous Fos expression. Similarly, the transformed cell morphology persisted for at least 2 days after repression of Fos, and a normal phenotype was observed only after 3 days. Fos-Jun complexes, capable of binding to AP-1 sequences, were present continuously during the delay in morphological transformation. Furthermore, increased expression of several candidate Fos target genes, including those encoding Fra-1, transin (stromelysin), collagenase, and ornithine decarboxylase, was detected shortly after Fos induction. The induction of morphological transformation was not dependent on the cell cycle, as it occurred in both cycling and noncycling cells. Thus, the Fos-Jun complexes present before L1-3c-fos cells become fully transformed are transcriptionally active. These complexes disappeared, and the Fos target genes were repressed at least 2 days prior to reversion. Our results suggest that cell transformation by Fos requires increased expression of a target gene(s) with a long-lived product(s) that must reach a critical level.

Cell transformation by c-fos requires an extended period of expression and is independent of the cell cycle

The proto-oncogene transcription factors Fos and Jun form a heterodimeric complex that binds to DNA and regulates expression of specific target genes. Continuous expression of c-fos causes transformation of cultured fibroblasts and induces osteogenic sarcoma in mice. To investigate the molecular basis of fos-mediated oncogenesis, we developed a conditional cell transformation system in which Fos expression was regulated by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Synthesis or repression of Fos in L1-3c-fos cells occurred rapidly, within 30 min, after the removal or addition of IPTG to the culture medium. However, there was a significant delay between the induction of Fos expression and the appearance of morphological transformation. No effect was observed after 12 h of Fos expression, partial transformation was detected after 24 h, and full transformation required approximately 3 days of continuous Fos expression. Similarly, the transformed cell morphology persisted for at least 2 days after repression of Fos, and a normal phenotype was observed only after 3 days. Fos-Jun complexes, capable of binding to AP-1 sequences, were present continuously during the delay in morphological transformation. Furthermore, increased expression of several candidate Fos target genes, including those encoding Fra-1, transin (stromelysin), collagenase, and ornithine decarboxylase, was detected shortly after Fos induction. The induction of morphological transformation was not dependent on the cell cycle, as it occurred in both cycling and noncycling cells. Thus, the Fos-Jun complexes present before L1-3c-fos cells become fully transformed are transcriptionally active. These complexes disappeared, and the Fos target genes were repressed at least 2 days prior to reversion. Our results suggest that cell transformation by Fos requires increased expression of a target gene(s) with a long-lived product(s) that must reach a critical level.

c-myc gene activation as a permanent trait of RSV-infected quail cells

A high level of c-myc gene expression was found to be a constant feature of v-src transformation. The c-myc gene product was analyzed in quail embryo cells transformed by different mutants of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) that were temperature-sensitive with respect to various parameters of v-src function. The high-level expression of c-myc proved not to be temperature-sensitive: at both permissive (35 degrees C) and non-permissive (41 degrees C) temperatures, the same high levels of c-myc gene product were found for all RSV mutants tested. This result, in agreement with earlier evidence for a v-src-induced proliferative stimulus which was unaffected by ts mutants at the non-permissive temperature, shows that certain v-src functions have not yet been fully characterized.

Cells transformed with a ts viral src mutant are temperature sensitive for in vivo growth

Studies on ts mutants of avian sarcoma viruses have previously implicated the src gene product (pp60src) kinase function in in vitro transformation. The role of src in vivo, however, has not been clearly defined. Using a sensitive and quantitative assay that was developed in chicken embryos (Chambers et al., Cancer Res. 42:4018-4025, 1982), we tested the in vivo tumorigenic properties of cells transformed with LA23, an avian sarcoma virus that is temperature sensitive for in vitro transformation. We found that the in vivo growth ability of these cells was temperature sensitive and that this in vivo behavior correlated with the in vitro transformation behavior (growth in soft agar and saturation density).

Cells transformed with a ts viral src mutant are temperature sensitive for in vivo growth

Studies on ts mutants of avian sarcoma viruses have previously implicated the src gene product (pp60src) kinase function in in vitro transformation. The role of src in vivo, however, has not been clearly defined. Using a sensitive and quantitative assay that was developed in chicken embryos (Chambers et al., Cancer Res. 42:4018-4025, 1982), we tested the in vivo tumorigenic properties of cells transformed with LA23, an avian sarcoma virus that is temperature sensitive for in vitro transformation. We found that the in vivo growth ability of these cells was temperature sensitive and that this in vivo behavior correlated with the in vitro transformation behavior (growth in soft agar and saturation density).

Half-life of the Rous sarcoma virus transforming protein pp60src and its associated kinase activity

The half-life of metabolically labeled pp60src of the Prague A strain of Rous sarcoma virus and of several transformation-defective, temperature-sensitive mutants was investigated by pulse-labeling infected cells with [35S]methionine, chasing for different times, and immunoprecipitating pp60src with tumor-bearing rabbit serum. These experiments showed that pp60src has a short half-life of approximately 60 min under normal physiological conditions and that the mutant pp60src proteins have similar half-lives to the wild type, irrespective of whether the cells are kept at the nonpermissive (42 degrees C) or permissive (35 degrees C) temperature. The half-life of the pp60src -associated kinase activity was determined by monitoring its decay by the immunoglobulin G heavy chain assay after the cells had been treated with several inhibitors of protein synthesis. In these experiments the kinase half-life was much longer than expected from the half-life of pp60src. The apparent contradiction between the half-lives of the kinase activity and the [35S]methionine-labeled pp60src protein could be resolved by the observation that treatment of cells with inhibitors of protein synthesis stabilized pp60src, resulting in a greatly extended half-life. Inhibitors of protein synthesis also extended the half-life of the gag precursor polypeptide, Pr76, suggesting that a host factor(s) may be required for the efficient intracellular processing of this polypeptide to the gag proteins.

Half-life of the Rous sarcoma virus transforming protein pp60src and its associated kinase activity

The half-life of metabolically labeled pp60src of the Prague A strain of Rous sarcoma virus and of several transformation-defective, temperature-sensitive mutants was investigated by pulse-labeling infected cells with [35S]methionine, chasing for different times, and immunoprecipitating pp60src with tumor-bearing rabbit serum. These experiments showed that pp60src has a short half-life of approximately 60 min under normal physiological conditions and that the mutant pp60src proteins have similar half-lives to the wild type, irrespective of whether the cells are kept at the nonpermissive (42 degrees C) or permissive (35 degrees C) temperature. The half-life of the pp60src -associated kinase activity was determined by monitoring its decay by the immunoglobulin G heavy chain assay after the cells had been treated with several inhibitors of protein synthesis. In these experiments the kinase half-life was much longer than expected from the half-life of pp60src. The apparent contradiction between the half-lives of the kinase activity and the [35S]methionine-labeled pp60src protein could be resolved by the observation that treatment of cells with inhibitors of protein synthesis stabilized pp60src, resulting in a greatly extended half-life. Inhibitors of protein synthesis also extended the half-life of the gag precursor polypeptide, Pr76, suggesting that a host factor(s) may be required for the efficient intracellular processing of this polypeptide to the gag proteins.