Replication of the resident Marek's Disease virus genome in synchronized nonproducer MKT-1 cells.

MKT-1, a virus nonproducer lymphoblastoid cell line established from a Marek's disease tumor, was synchronized by double thymidine block to determine the sequence of events in the synthesis of cellular and latent marek's disease virus DNA. Cellular DNA synthesis was measured by incorporation of [3H]thymidine, whereas viral DNA synthesis was determined by DNA-DNA reassociation kinetics. The results of these studies indicate that the resident Marek's disease viral DNA in MKT-1 cells replicates during the early S phase of the cell cycle, before the onset of active cellular DNA synthesis. This observation is similar to that seen in the replication of resident Epstein-Barr virus DNA in synchronized Raji cells.