title: Biological activity of polyoma viral DNA in mice and hamsters.
abstract: The biological activity of polyoma viral DNA was evaluated in mice and hamsters. Viral DNA administered parenterally is about 4 to 5 logs less efficient than polyoma virions in establishing infection in mice. Supercoiled viral DNA was infectious for mice after parenteral administration, giving mean infective doses of 10(-3) to 10(-4) microgram. However, animals fed microgram quantities of polyoma DNA I did not become infected. Linearization of viral DNA with R.EcoRI or R.BamHI, which are single-cut enzymes cleaving in the early and late regions of the genome, respectively, reduced the infectivity for mice approximately fivefold. Approximately 10% of newborn hamsters inoculated intraperitoneally with polyoma DNA I developed tumors. In contrast, the same amount of viral DNA which had been cleaved in the early region with R.EcoRI induced tumors in 50% of inoculated hamsters.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D006224:Cricetinae; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004279:DNA, Viral; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000209:etiology*; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes