Cell transformation by avian defective leukaemia viruses.

A comparative study of seven independently isolated defective leukaemia viruses has been carried out. Phenotypic analysis of the chicken bone marrow cells transformed in vitro allowed the separation of these seven viruses into three groups based on the differentiation phenotype of the transformed cell. Nucleic acid hybridization studies revealed that these seven viruses had acquired cellular sequences. Interestingly, these studies also showed that the viruses within the same biological grouping had acquired related sequences. This indicates that viruses that have acquired the same or similar cellular sequences have very similar oncogenic capabilities. Analysis of proteins expressed in cells transformed by these viruses demonstrated that the cellular sequences were usually inserted within the gene for the viral core proteins, gag. Therefore the cellular sequences are expressed as a gag-related fusion protein which has an amino-terminal region derived from the gag gene and a carboxy-terminal half derived from the cellular sequences. Two exceptions to this are discussed. The general conclusion from these studies is that defective leukaemia viruses transform cells by virtue of acquired host cellular sequences. The ability of these viruses to transform cells and the target cell specificity of the transformation depends on these cellular sequences.