Sequences outside of the long terminal repeat determine the lymphomogenic potential of Rous-associated virus type 1.

Recombinant avian leukosis viruses have been constructed from the molecularly cloned DNAs of Rous-associated virus type 1 (RAV-1) and Rous-associated virus type 0(RAV-0). Virus encoded by the cloned RAV-1 DNA induced a high incidence of B-cell lymphoma and a moderate incidence of a variety of other neoplasms. Virus encoded by the cloned RAV-0 DNA did not cause disease. Virus recovered from DNA constructions that encoded the gag, pol, and 5' env sequences of RAV-0 and the 3' env and long terminal repeat sequences of RAV-1 did not cause a high incidence of lymphoma. Rather, these constructed viruses induced a low incidence of a variety of neoplasms. Virus recovered from reconstructed pRAV-1 DNA had the same disease potential as did virus recovered from the parental pRAV-1 DNA. These results indicate that the long terminal repeat sequences of RAV-1 do not confer the potential to induce a high incidence of B-cell lymphoma.