Association of the herpes simplex-1 viral gene for thymidine kinase with the human gene for adenylate kinase-1 in biochemically transformed cells.

The herpes simplex type 1 biochemically transformed human cell line, HB-1, was fused with thymidine kinase deficient rodent cells, and 18 hybrids were isolated using the HAT-ouabain selection system. The selected enzyme, viral thymidine kinase, was present in all 18 hybrids. In 16 of 18 hybrids the viral gene for thymidine kinase cosegregated with the human gene for adenylate kinase-1 (AK-1). Thirty-six bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) resistant sublines were isolated from the 16 human AK-1 positive hybrids. Each BrdUrd-resistant subline was examined for the presence of the viral TK gene by back-selection in HAT medium, and for human AK-1. In all 36 BrdUrd-resistant sublines the viral TK gene cosegregated with the human AK-1 gene. These results indicate that the transforming viral DNA fragment was associated with a specific human chromosomal region in HB-1 cells.