Changes in Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis Regulation in Chinese Hamster Cells Infected with Simian Virus 40

Infection of primary or secondary cultures of Chinese hamster embryo cells with simian virus 40 at a multiplicity of 20 to 50 induced synthesis of the virus-specific intranuclear T antigen in 80 to 90% of the cells within 48 to 72 hr. In the infected cultures, 30 to 50% more cells were recruited into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis than in the controls, whether or not the cultures were confluent. The newly synthesized DNA was mostly cellular, since little virus was produced (as shown by various techniques: immunofluorescence for viral antigen, virus growth curves, and isolation of viral DNA from infected cultures). Transformed cells could be detected a few weeks after infection and produced tumors when inoculated into irradiated animals. Chromosomal changes were observed soon after infection (24 hr). Initially, there was a marked increase in the proportion of polyploid cells (8 to 14%), most of which were chromosomally normal. In a few weeks, a large majority of the infected population was polyploid (30 to 50%). Thus, the polyploid cells have the ability to proliferate. Evidence is presented to suggest that polyploid cells arise by stimulation of cells in the G(1), G(2), or S phases to undergo two or more successive periods of DNA synthesis without an intervening mitosis. With a subsequent loss or redistribution of chromosomal material, this may lead eventually to a biologically transformed cell; thus, it is suggested that the initial event(s) relevant to transformation occurs at the level of control of cellular DNA synthesis.     

Integration of Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid into the Deoxyribonucleic Acid of Primary Infected Chinese Hamster Cells

Simian virus 40 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) became associated in an alkaline-stable form with the DNA of Chinese hamster embryo cells at 15 to 20 hr post-infection, at the time when cell DNA synthesis and T antigen were induced. The integration process was not inhibited by d-arabinosyl cytosine and was only partially inhibited by cycloheximide.     

Isolation of Simian Virus 40 Recombinants from Cells Infected with Oligomeric Forms of Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Oligomeric forms of simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were isolated from monkey kidney cells infected with two plaque morphology mutants of SV40. Recombinant, large clear-plaque-type SV40 was produced in cells productively infected with oligomeric forms of SV40 DNA.     

Identification of the Simian Virus 40 Which Replicates When Simian Virus 40-Transformed Human Cells Are Fused with Simian Virus 40-Transformed Mouse Cells or Superinfected with Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Simian virus 40 (SV40) was rescued from heterokaryons of transformed mouse and transformed human cells. To determine whether the rescued SV40 was progeny of the SV40 genome resident in the transformed mouse cells, the transformed human cells, or both, rescue experiments were performed with mouse lines transformed by plaque morphology mutants of SV40. The transformed mouse lines that were used yielded fuzzy, small-clear, or large-clear plaques after fusion with CV-1 (African green monkey kidney) cells. The transformed human lines that were used did not release SV40 spontaneously or after fusion with CV-1 cells. From each mouse-human fusion mixture, only the SV40 resident in the transformed mouse cells was recovered. Fusion mixtures of CV-1 and transformed mouse cells yielded much more SV40 than those from transformed human and transformed mouse cells. The rate of SV40 formation was also greater from monkey-mouse than from human-mouse heterokaryons. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from SV40 strains which form fuzzy, largeclear, or small-clear plaques on CV-1 cells was also used to infect monkey (CV-1 and Vero), normal human, and transformed human cell lines. The rate of virion formation and the final SV40 yields were much higher from monkey than from normal or transformed human cells. Only virus with the plaque type of the infecting DNA was found in extracts from the infected cells. Two uncloned sublines of transformed human cells [W18 Va2(P363) and WI38 Va13A] released SV40 spontaneously. Virus yields were not appreciably enhanced by fusion with CV-1 cells. However, clonal lines of W18 Va2(P363) did not release SV40 spontaneously or after fusion with CV-1 cells. In contrast, several clonal lines of WI38 Va13A cells did continue to shed SV40 spontaneously.     

Virus-Specific Antigens in Hamster Cells Transformed by Rous Sarcoma Virus

Virus-specific antigens were studied in hamster cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). Antigens were localized in the cytoplasm, as demonstrated by fluorescent antibody staining of fixed cells as well as by complement fixation (CF) following subcellular fractionation. Cytoplasmic extracts were analyzed by velocity and isopycnic centrifugation. CF antigens were found in a soluble form and in association with membranes and polyribosomes. Isolated plasma membranes had no CF antigen. Both soluble and particulate fractions with CF activity contained the same antigenic determinants by Ouchterlony analysis. These antigenic determinants were identical to those released by ether treatment of RSV.     

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication in Simian Virus 40-Infected Cells: II. Detection and Characterization of Simian Virus 40 Pseudovirions

Purified simian virus 40 (SV40) virions, grown in primary African green monkey kidney cells labeled prior to infection with (3)H-thymidine, contain a variable quantity of (3)H-labeled deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This DNA is resistant to deoxyribonuclease, sediments at 250S, and is enclosed in a particle that can be precipitated with SV40-specific antiserum. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments demonstrate that this (3)H-labeled component in purified SV40 virions is cellular DNA. When this (3)H-labeled DNA is released from purified virus with sodium dodecyl sulfate, it has an average sedimentation constant of 14S. Sedimentation through neutral and alkaline sucrose gradients shows that this 14S DNA is composed of a collection of different sizes of DNA molecules that sediment between 11 and 15S. As a result of this size heterogeneity, SV40 virions containing cellular DNA (pseudovirions) have a variable DNA to capsid protein ratio and exhibit a spectrum of buoyant densities in a CsCl equilibrium gradient. Pseudovirions are enriched, relative to true virions, on the lighter density side of infectious SV40 virus banded to equilibrium in a CsCl gradient. Little or no cellular DNA was found in purified SV40 virus preparations grown in BSC-1 or CV-1 cells.     

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication in Simian Virus 40-Infected Cells IV. Two Different Requirements for Protein Synthesis During Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication

The replication of simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was inhibited by 99% 2 hr after the addition of cycloheximide to SV40-infected primary African green monkey kidney cells. The levels of 25S (replicating) and 21S (mature) SV40 DNA synthesized after cycloheximide treatment were always lower than those observed in an infected untreated control culture. This is consistent with a requirement for a protein(s) or for protein synthesis at the initiation step in SV40 DNA replication. The relative proportion of 25S DNA as compared with 21S viral DNA increased with increasing time after cycloheximide treatment. Removal of cycloheximide from inhibited cultures allowed the recovery of viral DNA synthesis to normal levels within 3 hr. During the recovery period, the ratio of 25S DNA to 21S DNA was 10 times higher than that observed after a 30-min pulse with (3)H-thymidine with an infected untreated control culture. The accumulation of 25S replicating SV40 DNA during cycloheximide inhibition or shortly after its removal is interpreted to mean that a protein(s) or protein synthesis is required to convert the 25S replicating DNA to 21S mature viral DNA. Further evidence of a requirement for protein synthesis in the 25S to 21S conversion was obtained by comparing the rate of this conversion in growing and resting cells. The conversion of 25S DNA to 21S DNA took place at a faster rate in infected growing cells than in infected confluent monolayer cultures. A temperature-sensitive SV40 coat protein mutation (large-plaque SV40) had no effect on the replication of SV40 DNA at the nonpermissive temperature.     

Integration of Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid into the Deoxyribonucleic Acid of Permissive Monkey Kidney Cells

Integration of simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) into cellular DNA occurred when permissive African green monkey kidney (CV-1) cells were infected at a low multiplicity of SV40 in the presence of cytosine arabinoside.     

Simian Virus 40-Induced T and Tumor Antigens

Antigen extracts from simian virus 40 (SV40) transplanted hamster tumors were studied by rate-zonal centrifugation. Three species or molecular forms of antigen were demonstrated. The major antigen component corresponded to a molecular weight of 65,000 to 75,000, and two larger species were detectable in smaller quantities. Similar studies were carried out on SV40 virus-induced T antigen from BSC-1 cells. Three antigen components were again detected. Quantitative differences in the expression of "T" and tumor antigen species were reproducibly found.     

Sequence Heterogeneity in Closed Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

The heteroduplex molecules formed by self-annealing of denatured, singly nicked simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) prepared from closed viral DNA were examined by formamide-protein film electron microscopy to test the DNA for sequence homogeneity. Sequence inhomogeneity appears in the heteroduplexes as single-strand loops. These result from sequence deletion or from sequence substitution, if regions greater than 50 nucleotides are involved. The undenatured DNA from viruses passaged twice at multiplicities of infection much less than 1 plaque-forming unit (PFU) per cell appeared to be homogeneous in size. The heteroduplexes formed by this DNA indicated that approximately 2% of the molecules carried deletions, but that substitutions were below the level of detection. In contrast, undenatured DNA from viruses grown by passaging undiluted lysates seven times or by infection with stock virus at a multiplicity of infection of 5 PFU per cell contained a large frequency of molecules shorter than the full length. The heteroduplex samples indicated that 12 and 7% of the undenatured material contained base substitutions, and 13 and 11% contained deletions. The deletions and substitutions appear to occur in separate molecules. Length measurements on heteroduplexes displaying the loop characteristic of substitutions have established that these molecules are from true sequence substitutions, and not from adjacent or overlapping deletions. More than 80% of the molecules carrying substitutions are shorter than the native SV40 length. On the average, the substituted sequence is about 20% of the length of SV40, but it replaces a sequence about 30% of the native length. The substituted sequences may be host cell nuclear DNA, possibly arising from integration of SV40 into the chromosome followed by excision of the SV40 DNA together with chromosomal DNA.     

Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis: the Viral Replicon

Three temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of simian virus 40 (SV40) in complementation group A (tsA7, tsA28, tsA30) have been isolated and characterized in permissive and restrictive host cells. At 41 C in the AH line of African green monkey kidney cells, the mutants are deficient in an early function required to produce infectious viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Temperature-shift experiments and analysis of SV40 viral DNA replication by gel electrophoresis have provided strong evidence that the ts gene product of the three mutants is directly required to initiate each new round of viral DNA replication but is not required to complete a cycle which has already begun. The synthesis of mutant DNA molecules themselves can be initiated by a nonmutant gene product in viral complementation studies at 41 C. The cell, however, cannot substitute a host function to provide the initiator required for the replication of free viral DNA. The viral initiator is also required to establish the stable transformation of 3T3 cells.     

Structure of Replicating Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid Molecules

Properties of replicating simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) have been examined by sedimentation analysis and by direct observation during a lytic cycle of infection of African green monkey kidney cells. Two types of replicating DNA molecules were observed in the electron microscope. One was an open structure containing two branch points, three branches, and no free ends whose length measurements were consistent with those expected for replicating SV40 DNA molecules. A second species had the same features as the open structure, but in addition it contained a superhelix in the unreplicated portion of the molecule. Eighty to ninety per cent of the replicative intermediates (RI) were in this latter configuration, and length measurements of these molecules also were consistent with replicating SV40 DNA. Replicating DNA molecules with this configuration have not been described previously. RI, when examined in ethidium bromide-cesium chloride (EB-CsCl) isopycnic gradients, banded in a heterogeneous manner. A fraction of the RI banded at the same density as circular SV40 DNA containing one or more single-strand nicks (component II). The remaining radioactive RI banded at densities higher than that of component II, and material was present at all densities between that of supercoiled double-stranded DNA (component I) and component II. When RI that banded at different densities in EB-CsCl were examined in alkaline gradients, cosedimentation of parental DNA and newly replicated DNA did not occur. All newly replicated DNA sedimented more slowly than did intact single-stranded SV40 DNA, a finding that is inconsistent with the rolling circle model of DNA replication. An inverse correlation exists between the extent of replication of the SV40 DNA and the banding density in EB-CsCl. Under alkaline conditions, the parental DNA strands that were contained in the RI sedimented as covalently closed structures. The sedimentation rates in alkali of the covalently closed parental DNA decreased as replication progressed. Based on these observations, some possible models for replication of SV40 DNA are proposed.     

Fate of Infecting Simian Virus 40-Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Nonpermissive Cells: Integration into Host Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Nonpermissive 3T3 cells were infected with purified superhelical simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid I (DNA I). One hour after infection, approximately 60% of the intracellular SV40 DNA was converted to relaxed forms. One day after infection, all intracellular SV40 DNA was present as slow-sedimenting material, and no SV40 DNA I was detectable. At 2 days after infection there appeared viral DNA sequences cosedimenting with cellular DNA during alkaline velocity centrifugation. Furthermore, by both alkaline equilibrium gradient centrifugation and by DNA-ribonucleic acid hybridization analysis, covalent linkage of viral DNA sequences to cellular DNA was demonstrated. Integration of SV40 DNA into cellular DNA did not appear to require DNA synthesis, although DNA synthesis followed by mitotic division of the cells enhanced the amount of viral DNA integrated. Based on data obtained by two different methods, it was calculated that 1,100 to 1,200 SV40 DNA equivalents must be integrated per cell by 48 hr after infection.     

Susceptibility of Human Cell Strains to Transformation by Simian Virus 40 and Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Marked differences were found in the susceptibility of human fibroblasts to transformation by simian virus 40 (SV40). Highly susceptible cell strains were derived from patients with diseases associated with chromosomal abnormalities and a high incidence of tumors. In the present study, SV40 transformation-susceptible cell strains were not found to have a generalized increase in viral sensitivity. The differences in transformation frequency among cell strains with whole virus are eliminated by the use of isolated SV40 deoxyribonucleic acid, suggesting that the relative resistance of most cell strains to transformation by whole virus is due to a block at an early step in infection.     

Origin and Direction of Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication

Double-branched, circular, replicating deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules of simian virus 40 (SV40) have been cleaved by the R(1) restriction endonuclease from Escherichia coli. This enzyme introduces one double-strand break in SV40 DNA, at a specific site. The site of cleavage in the replicating molecules was used in this study to position the origin and the two branch points. Radioactively labeled molecules fractionated according to their extent of replication were evaluated after cleavage by sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that the R(1) cleavage site is 33% of the genome length from the origin of replication and that both branch points are growing points. These data indicate that SV40 DNA replication is bidirectional and confirm other reports which have shown a unique origin of replication.     

Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis: Analysis by Gel Electrophoresis

An agarose-gel electrophoresis technique has been developed to study simian virus 40 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis. Superhelical DNA I, relaxed DNA II, and replicative intermediate (RI) molecules were clearly resolved from one another for analytical purposes. Moreover, the RI molecules could be identified as early or late forms on the basis of their electrophoretic migration in relation to that of DNA II. The technique has been utilized to study the kinetics of simian virus 40 DNA synthesis in pulse and in pulse-chase experiments. The average time required to complete the replication of prelabeled RI molecules and to convert them into DNA I was approximately 10 min under the experimental conditions employed.     

Aspects of the Encapsidation of Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Growing subcloned CV1-cells were infected with simian virus 40, and the time course of virus formation was determined. When infected cells were fractionated into cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions, most of the progeny virus particles were recovered in the cytoplasmic extract and not in the nuclei. This result was independent of the technique used for the preparation of nuclei and of the time after infection at which the extracts were prepared. Leakage of the virions from the nucleus occurred during the course of cell fractionation, suggesting that the nuclear membrane of the infected cells is damaged. Virions were found to accumulate in a nonlinear fashion, at the time when the number of viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules increases linearly with time after infection. This suggests that the size of the intracellular pool of capsid proteins increases constantly during the late phase of virus replication. Progeny viral DNA to become encapsidated is withdrawn at random from the pool of replicated DNA molecules.     

Superhelix Density Heterogeneity of Intracellular Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Covalently closed intracellular and viral simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were separately isolated from infected African green monkey cells (BSC-1) grown in culture. The two DNA species form overlapping bands centered at different positions in a propidium di-iodide-cesium chloride (PDI-CsCl) buoyant density gradient capable of separating closed DNA species with different superhelix densities. When the dense side of a (32)P-labeled intracellular DNA band was mixed with the light side of a (3)H-labeled intracellular DNA band and again centrifuged in a PDI-CsCl density gradient, two overlapping bands formed with modes displaced from each other. Similar band-splitting experiments performed with viral DNA always gave superimposable bands. The foregoing experiments demonstrate that the intracellular DNA is heterogeneous in superhelix density, whereas, by the same criteria, the viral DNA is homogeneous. The mean superhelix density of the intracellular closed DNA is approximately three-fourths as large as the superhelix density of the viral DNA. These results rule out the possibility that closed SV40 DNA is drawn randomly from the intracellular pool and assembled without a further nicking-closing step into virions. When the cells were grown and infected in the presence of ethidium bromide (EB), the intracellular closed DNA was found to be homogeneous in superhelix density and to have the same superhelix density as the viral DNA which, in turn, was unaffected by the presence of the drug. The foregoing results were explained by postulating that the intracellular DNA is formed with a homogeneous superhelix density and becomes heterogeneous in the absence of EB as a result of a nicking-closing cycle that occurs in a spacially or temporally heterogeneous environment. The drug EB would inhibit this action by inhibiting the nicking enzyme(s).     

Specific Initiation Site for Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication

Replicating simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules have been isolated under conditions in which the newly synthesized DNA is uniformly labeled with (3)H-thymidine. These newly synthesized strands are released from the replicative intermediate molecules by alkaline treatment, and it has been possible to isolate single-stranded SV40 DNA which varies in size from 157,000 daltons (from molecules that are 10% replicated) to 1,360,000 daltons (85% replicated). The rates of duplex formation of newly synthesized DNA have been used to relate their genetic complexity to the extent of DNA replication. As DNA replication proceeds, the time required to effect 50% renaturation of the newly synthesized DNA increases at a proportional rate. The data establish that DNA replication is not initiated at random, but rather that there is a single specific initiation site for DNA replication.