Phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6 is elevated in cells transformed by a variety of tumor viruses.

We have analyzed the phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6 in several cultures of normal cells and cells transformed with RNA or DNA tumor viruses. Serum deprivation of confluent, normal cells results in low levels of S6 phosphorylation. In contrast, under identical conditions, this protein is highly phosphorylated in virally transformed cells. No differences in the phosphopeptides generated by one-dimensional limited proteolysis were detected in S6 prepared from serum-stimulated or transformed cells. These results suggest that a common event in oncogenic transformation is the phosphorylation of S6.