Requirement for cellular protein synthesis in reversal of ethidium-bormide-induced inhibition of cell transformation by murine sarcoma virus.

Cultures of mouse Balb 3T3 fibroblasts exposed to a noncytotoxic dose of ethidium bromide for 16-18 hr are unable to produce foci after infection with murine sarcoma virus. Such cultures regain susceptibility to infection when incubated for 6-8 hr in drug-free growth medium. Pretreated but not untreated cultures exhibit sensitivity toward brief (6 hr) exposure to cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, and actinomycin D before infection. Pretreatment with cordy-cepin inhibits the ability of cultures to produce foci after infection. The recovery of ethidium-bromide-treated cultures requires the synthesis of cellular proteins which may have some important role in the establishment of RNA tumor virus infection.