Localization of a gene for expression of mouse mammary tumor virus antigens in the GR/Mtv-2- mouse strain.

The GR/Mtv-2- mouse strain is congenic to the GR strain but lacks the Mtv-2 gene for high amounts of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) virion particles in the milk and early mammary tumors. With a sensitive competition radioimmunoassay for individual viral proteins of MMTV, substantial amounts of the gag proteins p27 and p10 could still be detected in extracts of the mammary glands of GR/Mtv-2- mice, but essentially no viral envelope antigens. The genetic transmission of the MMTV gag expression in the GR/Mtv-2- strain was investigated. In a cross with the virus-negative BALB/c strain, the MMTV p27 expression behaved as a dominant feature. Double backcross analysis proved that the p27 expression was governed by a single gene located on chromosome 11, cloe to the Es-3 locus. The gene was thereby not allelic to any of the previously described MMTV induction genes, Mtv-1 and Mtv-2, and is therefore called Mtv-3. It is concluded that the total MMTV expression in the GR strain is under control of two separate loci, Mtv-2 on chromosome 18, inducing high levels of complete virus particles and also early mammary tumors; and Mtv-3 on chromosome 11, coding for partial MMTV expression.