Molecular cloning of the Harvey sarcoma virus circular DNA intermediates. II. Further structural analyses

An improved method for the isolation of supercoiled DNA molecules using ion-exchange column chromatography

An improved procedure is presented for the rapid isolation of supercoiled molecules using ion-exchange chromatography of alkali-denatured material. Under the conditions employed, contaminating cellular DNA, RNA, and nicked circular molecules are denaturable and are presented to the column as single strands while intact, covalently closed, supercoiled molecules resist denaturation and are batch eluted from the column as the only remaining duplex species. Small amounts of protein and short, duplex fragments (less than 1 kb) are removed in the void volume. There is no need for gradient fractionation. Supercoil fractions are virtually free of contamination with linear molecules as determined by electron microscopy, have an A260 nm/A280 nm ratio approaching 2.0, and are suitable for subsequent heteroduplex analysis, molecular cloning, subcloning, or restriction enzyme mapping. The method has been used successfully to purify plasmids up to 45 kb in length and to isolate rare circular replication intermediates from an overwhelming excess of contaminating linear molecules in retrovirus-infected cells.

The pathophysiology of murine retrovirus-induced leukemias

Murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) are retroviruses which induce a broad spectrum of hematopoietic malignancies. In contrast to the acutely transforming retroviruses, MuLVs do not contain transduced cellular genes, or oncogenes. Nonetheless, MuLVs can cause leukemias quickly (4 to 6 weeks) and efficiently (up to 100% incidence) in susceptible strains of mice. The molecular basis of MuLV-induced leukemia is not clear. However, the contribution of individual viral genes to leukemogenesis can be assayed by creating novel viruses in vitro using recombinant DNA techniques. These genetically engineered viruses are tested in vivo for their ability to cause leukemia. Leukemogenic MuLVs possess genetic sequences which are not found in nonleukemogenic viruses. These sequences control the histologic type, incidence, and latency of disease induced by individual MuL Vs.

Construction of recombinants between molecular clones of murine retrovirus MCF 247 and Akv: determinant of an in vitro host range property that maps in the long terminal repeat

The leukemogenic mink cell focus-forming (MCF) retroviruses such as MCF 247 have biological properties distinct from those of their ecotropic progenitors. Nucleotide sequences encoding portions of gp70, Prp15E, and the long terminal repeat differ between the two types of viruses. To investigate the role of each of these genetic elements in determining the biological properties of MCF viruses, we prepared infectious molecular clones of MCF 247 and generated a set of recombinants between these clones and a molecular clone of Akv, the ecotropic parent of MCF 247. Each molecular clone of MCF 247 was distinct. All the recombinants between Akv and MCF 247 yielded infectious virus upon transfection. Most interestingly, recombinants which contain the long terminal repeat of MCF 247 were found to have an in vitro host range property that has been correlated with high oncogenic activity and thymotropism of certain MCF isolates; namely, they plated with higher efficiency on SC-1 cells than on NFS mouse embryo cells. Nononcogenic MCF isolates showed a slight preference for NFS cells, whereas Akv virus plated with approximately equal efficiency on the two cell types.

An altered DNA sequence encompassing the ras gene of Harvey murine sarcoma virus

The DNA fragment encompassing the ras gene of Harvey murine sarcoma virus was sequenced and assigned the coding region of a transforming protein, p21, to the sequence. Examination of nucleotide sequence, taken together with the result of analysis of the ras mRNAs (1), has revealed that p21 is encoded from a continuous coding region starting with the 5' proximal initiation codon but not a processed protein. However, there were found several differences between the sequence published by Dhar et. al. (2) and ours, including 9 deletions, 7 substitutions and 2 insertions of nucleotides in the published sequence of 997 nucleotides in length. Among these, one of the substitutions occurring in the coding region resulted in amino acid replacement of glycine by alanine at position 122 of p21. The evidences are presented with some of actual gel autoradiographs.

Unusual properties of AKR MCF-247 murine leukemia virus unintegrated proviral DNA

Analyses of Hirt extracts from endogeneous murine leukemia virus (MuLV)-infected cells revealed the presence of 9-kbp linear DNA and two superhelical forms with one or two tandem copies of the long terminal repeat (LTR). In contrast, cells that were infected with AKR MCF247 MuLV yielded two major linear forms of 9.0 and 8.4 kbp and one discrete superhelical DNA. In addition, there was a heterogeneous population of superhelical DNAs that were larger and smaller than the major superhelical DNA species. Restriction endonuclease treatment of purified linear and superhelical DNAs have revealed that MCF247 MuLV unintegrated viral DNA is very heterogeneous. Evidence is presented that there are at least two linear DNAs; one is 9-kbp full-length linear DNA, whereas the other major form contains a 0.6 to 0.7-kbp deletion in the envelope gene adjacent to the right LTR. In addition, there are two size classes of the LTR in at least the full-length linear DNA. The major superhelical DNA species is a 8.4-kbp form which contains one copy of the LTR. Other heterogeneous superhelical DNAs appear to contain env-gene deletions or partially deleted copies of a tandem LTR region.

Virus-induced gene mutations of eukaryotic cells

Most animal viruses studied so far induce chromosomal aberrations. In addition, adenoviruses, papovaviruses, and retroviruses are known to induce gene mutations like mutagenic bacteriophages. At least in one case studied retrovirus induced mutagenesis involves gene and/or scripton splitting analogous to the mutagenic mechanism of action of mutatorphage Mu and other movable DNA elements. On the contrary, several results obtained by independent means indicate that Simian virus 40, a papovavirus, does not act by splitting the affected gene but presumably by generation of base pair substitutions or of other minor DNA damages leading to amino acid substitutions. The mechanisms involved are still unknown. There a some hints, however, that these mechanisms might have some step(s) in common with processes leading to malignancy. In fact those viruses proved unequivocally so far to be capable of inducing gene mutations are oncogenic viruses.

Cloning of endogenous murine leukemia virus-related sequences from chromosomal DNA of BALB/c and AKR/J mice: identification of an env progenitor of AKR-247 mink cell focus-forming proviral DNA

Recombinant phages containing murine leukemia virus (MuLV)-reactive DNA sequences were isolated after screening of a BALB/c mouse embryo DNA library and from shotgun cloning of EcoRI-restricted AKR/J mouse liver DNA. Twelve different clones were isolated which contained incomplete MuLV proviral DNA sequences extending various distances from either the 5' or 3' long terminal repeat (LTR) into the viral genome. Restriction maps indicated that the endogenous MuLV DNAs were related to xenotropic MuLVs, but they shared several unique restriction sites among themselves which were not present in known MuLV proviral DNAs. Analyses of internal restriction fragments of the endogenous LTRs suggested the existence of at least two size classes, both of which were larger than the LTRs of known ecotropic, xenotropic, or mink cell focus-forming (MCF) MuLV proviruses. Five of the six cloned endogenous MuLV proviral DNAs which contained envelope (env) DNA sequences annealed to a xenotropic MuLV env-specific DNA probe; in addition, four of these five also hybridized to an ecotropic MuLV-specific env DNA probe. Cloned MCF 247 proviral DNA also contained such dual-reactive env sequences. One of the dual-reactive cloned endogenous MuLV DNAs contained an env region that was indistinguishable by AluI and HpaII digestion from the analogous segment in MCF 247 proviral DNA and may therefore represent a progenitor for the env gene of this recombinant MuLV. In addition, the endogenous MuLV DNAs were highly related by AluI cleavage to the Moloney MuLV provirus in the gag and pol regions.

Molecular cloning of murine endogenous viral sequences and expression of a newly constructed recombinant murine leukemia virus DNA in transfected mink cells

In the process of molecularly cloning unintegrated proviral DNA from NIH-3T3 mouse cells infected with Rauscher murine leukemia virus, we observed the occurrence of clones with inserts smaller than the expected Rauscher murine leukemia virus fragments. The insert of one of these clones, lambda.Xe-1, was characterized in more detail. It had a size of 3.5 kilobases. The restriction map was similar but not identical to that of the envelope regions of Moloney and Rauscher murine leukemia viruses. After ligation to previously cloned Moloney murine leukemia viral sequences and transfection of the ligated DNA into mink lung cells a nondefective xenotropic murine leukemia virus, XH-19, was isolated. Restriction mapping of proviral DNA isolated from mink lungs cells chronically infected with XH-19 showed the presence of Moloney murine leukemia virus-derived sequences coupled to xenotropic viral sequences.

Glucocorticoid regulation of the Ha-MuSV p21 gene conferred by sequences from mouse mammary tumor virus

Molecular chimeras with the p21 transforming gene of Harvey murine sarcoma virus linked to DNA containing the long terminal repeat (LTR) or mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) have been constructed. Transformants of NIH 3T3 cells induced by transfection with MMTV LTR-p21 hybrid DNA have been identified that express the normal p21 gene product. The levels of p21 RNA and protein in these transformants are regulated by physiological concentrations of dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid hormone. Hybrid transcripts containing p21 gene sequences originate at the normal MMTV viral initiation site. It is concluded that sequences necessary for hormonal control of transcription are completely specified by the viral genome and probably map within the viral LTR.

Detection and cloning of murine leukemia virus-related sequences from African green monkey liver DNA

By using low-stringency nucleic acid hybridization conditions and specific subgenomic segments of the AKR ecotropic provirus as probes, murine leukemia virus (MuLV)-related sequences were detected in African green monkey (AGM) liver DNA. The MuLV-reactive segments present in restricted AGM DNA ranged from 1.9 kilobases (kb) to greater than 10 kb in size. On the basis of this finding, a 17-kb segment was cloned from a partial EcoRI AGM library in lambda Charon 4A which shared nearly 5 kb of homology with AKR ecotropic MuLV DNA. The MuLV-related sequences detected in restricted preparations of AGM DNA or present in the cloned monkey DNA reacted with probes mapping 2.0 to 7.0 kb from the 5' terminus of the AKR ecotropic provirus. The AGM clone also contained repeated sequences that flanked the MuLV-related segment. Labeled, subgenomic, MuLV-reactive segments of the monkey clone hybridized to multiple restriction fragments of AGM liver DNA, indicating the presence of several copies of the MuLV-related sequences.

Molecular cloning of B- and N-tropic endogenous BALB/c murine leukemia virus circular DNA intermediates: isolation and characterization of infectious recombinant clones

The unintegrated closed circular DNA intermediates from B- and N-tropic endogenous BALB/c murine leukemia virus (MuLV) were isolated from acutely infected mouse fibroblasts and cleaved at their unique HindIII sites. The linearized B- and N-tropic MuLV DNAs were then inserted in lambda vector Charon 21A and cloned. Seventeen B-tropic and ten N-tropic recombinants were analyzed. The viral insert of these 27 MuLV recombinants could be grouped into 3 classes. The first class included permuted full-length molecules of 8.8 kilobase pairs (kbp) having two long terminal repeats (LTR) (0.55 kbp) mixed with 8.25-kbp molecules. The second class included 8.25-kbp molecules which harbored only one LTR copy. The third class of inserts was made of molecules with deletions of various lengths (0.1 to 3 kbp). These deletions were localized by restriction enzyme analysis. Significantly more deletions were observed in N-tropic than in B-tropic recombinants, although these two genomes isolated from acutely infected cells seemed to differ only by the absence of a 70-base-pair (bp) sequence in the N-tropic LTR. The biological activity of each of the recombinants of the first and second classes was assayed by transfection on NIH/3T3 cells. Two recombinants, one B-tropic (lambda B-16) and one N-tropic (lambdaN-20) were found to be infectious. Both were able to give rise to replication-competent MuLV which could form large XC plaques and had kept the tropism of its progenitor. Like its progenitor in vivo DNA, lambdaN-20-cloned DNA lacked a 70-bp sequence in its unique LTR. The emerging N-tropic MuLV after transfection with lambdaN-20 was used to acutely infect NIH/3T3 cells. The viral DNA intermediates isolated were now found to have two LTR copies. They had also acquired a 70-bp sequence in each LTR. The acquisition or loss of this 70-bp sequence did not seem to affect the replication, the XC plaque formation, or the tropism of the virus.

Generation of novel, biologically active Harvey sarcoma viruses via apparent illegitimate recombination

NIH 3T3 cells transfected with Harvey sarcoma virus (HSV) DNA may acquire deleted proviruses (Goldfarb and Weinberg, J. Virol. 38:125-135, 1981). Such proviruses lack the right end of the wild-type HSV DNA genome corresponding to the 3'-proximal portion of the viral RNA. As expected, the RNA transcripts of these deleted HSV (delHSV) proviruses lacked sequences normally found at the 3' end of wild-type HSV RNA. Since frequently these delHSV RNA transcripts were longer than wild-type HSV RNA, we suggest that transcription proceeded through the deleted provirus and continued into flanking nonviral sequences. When delHSV-transformed cells were infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MLV), delHSV RNA was pseudotyped into new virus particles, demonstrating that the 3'-proximal sequences of wild-type HSV RNA are not essential for virion RNA encapsidation. Cells which carried a delHSV genome and were infected with M-MLV helper released very low titers of highly transmissible sarcoma virus. The inability to rescue high titers of sarcoma virus from these cells reflected the necessary presence of the deleted 3'-terminal sequences for normal efficient transmission of the sarcoma virus genome (Goldfarb and Weinberg, J. Virol. 38:125-135, 1981). The small amount of highly transmissible sarcoma virus rescuable from delHSV-transformed cells originated via genetic recombination between del HSV and the M-MLV helper used for the sarcoma virus rescue. The recombinant sarcoma virus genomes reacquired a competent 3' genomic end from the parental M-MLV genome, which restored efficient transmissibility. The locations of sites for recombination between the delHSV and M-MLV genomes appeared to be nonrandom. These sites were in genomic regions where the parental genomes bore no detectable sequence homology. Structural mapping of these recombinant sarcoma virus genomes indicated that the HSV transformation gene lies within 2.0 kilobases of the RNA 5' end. Based upon our genetic recombination studies, we suggest a model to explain how leukemia viruses can recombine with cellular sequences to generate novel defective viruses.

Dual evolutionary origin for the rat genetic sequences of Harvey murine sarcoma virus

Detailed restriction endonuclease maps were developed for Harvey murine sarcoma virus (Ha-MuSV) DNA (clone H-1), molecularly closed at its unique EcoRI site in pBR322, for three nonoverlapping subgenomic HindIII clones which together span the entire H-1 clone and for a molecularly cloned DNA copy of a portion of rat 30S RNA (which represents the majority of the rat genetic sequences in Ha-MuSV). Molecular hybridization of the 30S clone to small restriction fragments of clone H-1 revealed a 0.9-to-1.0-kilobase pair region in the 5' half of the Ha-MuSV genome not homologous to the 30S clone, although the 30S clone did contain related sequences in Ha-MuSV on both sides of this nonhomologous region. By using cloned sequences from a segment of the Ha-MuSV nonhomology region as a probe for hybridization to Southern blots of DNA from rat, mouse, bat, and chicken cells, one to three bands were detected in DNA of each species. By contrast, the 30S clone DNA was highly related to many sequences in rat DNA, partially related to fewer mouse DNA sequences, and homologous only to one to three bands in bat and chicken DNA. Earlier work had shown that the 5' half of the Ha-MuSV genome coded for transformation and for the viral p21 protein (Chang et al., J. Virol. 35: 76--92, 1980; Wei et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., in press). We used two subgenomic HindIII clones whose shared HindIII site mapped within the 5' region of clone H-1 nonhomologous to the 30S clone to test whether the nonhomologous segment might encode the transforming and p21 functions. Although neither of the subgenomic HindIII fragments by themselves induced transformation, ligation of these two nontransforming DNAs to each other did restore p21-mediated transformation. A conclusion consistent with these results is that a region in the 5' half of the Ha-MuSV genome evolutionarily distinct from and not present in rat 30S RNA is essential for transformation and for p21 encoding.

Molecular cloning of avian sarcoma virus closed circular DNA: structural and biological characterization of three recombinant clones

Unintegrated, circular viral DNA, isolated from Prague A avian sarcoma virus (PrA-ASV)-infected quail cells (QT6), was cloned in the lambda vector lambda gtWES x lambda B. Three independent lambda-ASV recombinants were identified, and each contained a complete copy of the PrA-ASV genome. The arrangement of the ASV sequences within the recombinants was determined by restriction enzyme analysis and hybridization with labeled ASV-specific complementary DNA. One of the recombinants (lambda RPA101) resulted from cloning at the EcoRI site located within the terminally repeated sequence and therefore was virtually co-linear with PrA-ASV virion RNA. The other two recombinants (lambda RPA102 and 103) resulted from cloning at the EcoRI site located within the viral env gene. By restriction enzyme analysis and by measurement of R-loops formed between lambda RPA101 and PrA-ASV virion 35S RNA, the viral genome was estimated to be 9,100 bases in length. Genome length viral DNA purified from clones lambda RPA102 and 103 was biologically active. Transfection of chicken embryo cells with viral DNA, in the form of either circles or linear dimers, produced foci of transformed cells within 8 to 10 days. Linear DNA was much less efficient at inducing transformation. Viral DNA from the clone lambda RPA101 was unable to cause transformation; the basis for this defect is unknown.

Mapping of transforming region of the Harvey murine sarcoma virus genome by using insertion-deletion mutants constructed in vitro

Circular DNA intermediates of Harvey murine sarcoma virus (Ha-MuSV) have been cloned in lambda gtWES . lambda B and shown to be capable of transforming mouse NIH 3T3 cells [Hager, G. L., Chang, E. H., Chan, H. W., Garon, C. F., Israel, M. A., Martin, M. A., Scolnick, E. M. & Lowy, D. R. (1979) J. Virol. 31, 795-809]. By using the cloned Ha-MuSV DNA insert as a parental genome, we have constructed a series of insertion-deletion mutants by inserting an octomer containing the Sal I linker sequence (G-G-T-C-G-A-C-C) into various regions of the Ha-MuSV genome after partial digestion with Hae III. After ligation into lambda gtWES . lambda B-Sal I vector molecules, the mutant Ha-MuSV DNAs were cloned. Fourteen insertion-deletion mutants have been mapped by restriction enzyme digestion, and their biological activities have been correlated with the locations of mutations. The mutants whose lesion mapped within 3.0 kilobases (kb) frm the 3'-end of the Ha-MuSV genome retained full transforming ability. The mutants containing the Sal I linker insertion at 0.4 or 1.5 kb from the 5'-end also retained transforming ability, but the number of foci induced by the DNAs in transfection assays was greatly reduced. However, a mutant containing a deletion of 1.5 kb at the 5'-end and a mutant with a deletion of the sequences between 1.0 and 1.5 kb from the 5'-end completely lost their transforming potential. A model for the transforming region of Ha-MuSV is discussed. Furthermore, because Ha-MuSV sequences can be rescued from the mouse cells transformed by these mutants using Moloney murine leukemia virus as a helper virus, it implies that the in vitro modified DNAs may be converted into genuine mutant viruses.

Nucleotide sequences of integrated Moloney sarcoma provirus long terminal repeats and their host and viral junctions

Integrated Moloney murine sarcoma provirus (MSV) has direct terminal repeat sequences (TRS). We determined the nucleotide sequence of both 588-base-pair TRS elements and the adjacent host and viral junctions of an integrated MSV cloned in bacteriophage lambda. Sequences were identified corresponding to the tRNAPro primer binding site in genomic RNA and the reverse-transcribed minus strong stop DNA. Each 588-base-pair repeat contains putative sites for promoting RNA synthesis and RNA polyadenylylation. The first and last 11 nucleotides of the TRS are inverted with respect to each other, and the same four-nucleotide host sequence is found bracketing integrated MSV. Some similarities of TRS and prokaryotic insertion sequence elements are discussed.

Functional organization of the Harvey murine sarcoma virus genome

The comparative infectivity of Harvey murine sarcoma virus (Ha-MuSV) DNA for NIH 3T3 cells was determined for supercoiled Ha-MuSV DNA molecularly cloned in lambda phage and pBR322 at its unique EcoRI site (which is located near the middle of the 6-kilobase pair [kbp] unintegrated linear viral DNA) and for two cloned subgenomic fragments: one was 3.8 kbp and lacked about 1 kbp from each side of the EcoRI site, and the second did not contain the 3 kbp of the unintegrated linear viral DNA located on the 3' side of the EcoRI site. Each subgenomic DNA induced foci of transformed cells, but with a lower relative efficiency then genomic DNA. Transfection with intact vector Ha-MuSV DNA yielded results similar to those obtained after separation of Ha-MuSV DNA from vector DNA. Cells lines were then derived from individual foci transformed with each type of viral DNA. Focus-forming virus was recovered from transformed cells after superinfection with a helper-independent virus, but the efficiency varied by several orders of magnitude. For several transformed lines, the efficiency of recovery of focus-forming virus was correlated with the structure of the Ha-MuSV DNA in the cells before superinfection. When 32P-labeled Ha-MuSV DNA probes specific for sequences on either the 3' or 5' side of the EcoRI site were used to analyze the viral RNA in the transformed cell lines, all lines were found to hybridize with the 5' probe, but some lines did not hybridize with the 3' probe. The transformed lines contained high levels of the Ha-MuSV-coded p21 or its associated GDP-binding activity. We conclude that the transforming region and the sequences that code for the viral p21 protein are both located within the 2 kilobases closest to the 5' end of the Ha-MuSV genome.