Initial site of synthesis of virus during rescue of simian virus 40 from heterokaryons of simian virus 40-transformed and susceptible cells.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) can be rescued from certain SV40-transformed hamster cells by fusion with susceptible African green monkey kidney (CV-1) cells, in the presence of ultraviolet-irradiated Sendai virus. We have determined the sites in which SV40 is produced during rescue in these heterokaryons. To determine the sequence, nuclei were isolated from fused cells at various times after fusion, separated on sucrose-density gradients, and assayed for infectious center formation and virus content on CV-1 monolayers. Virus was first detected in the transformed nucleus (40 hr postfusion), and later associated with both transformed and susceptible nuclei (68 to 72 hr). Viral rescue apparently does not depend upon the transfer of SV40 deoxyribonucleic acid to a susceptible CV-1 nucleus, since the transformed nucleus is the primary site of virus production. The time course of certain cytological events in the rescue process and in productive infection was found to be similar.