env Gene of Rous sarcoma virus: identification of the gene product by cell-free translation.

Cell-free translation of polyadenylic acid-selected, denatured virion 70S RNA of the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of Rous sarcoma virus (subgroup A) yields a 64,000-Mr polypeptide which is specifically immunoprecipitated by a group-specific serum raised against envelope glycoprotein gp85. This polypeptide is not synthesized from the virion RNA of the replication-defective mutant rdNY8SR-A, which contains an extensive deletion within the envelope (env) gene. From this genetic evidence we conclude that the 64,000-Mr polypeptide represents the nonglycosylated product of the env gene and propose the designation of P64env. The 64,000-Mr polypeptide is translated from a 26S to 28S polyadenylated RNA species, whereas the p60src product is synthesized from a 20S to 22S RNA, and both Pr76gag and P180gag-pol are synthesized predominately from 34S RNA. The product of the env gene of Rous-associated virus-2 was also identified by cell-free translation.