Detection and localization of virus-specific DNA by in situ hybridization of cells during infection and rapid transformation by the murine sarcoma-leukemia virus.
Cytological preparations of interphase nuclei and chromosomes from mouse 3T6 cells prepared at various times after infection with the murine sarcomaleukemia virus complex were hybridized with the [(3)H]DNA product of the viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase. While uninfected nuclei had an average of 4 autoradiographic grains, infected nuclei had 30 grains at 5 hr after infection and 63-65 grains at 11 and 25 hr. Virus-specific grains were localized in the chromocenters of interphase nuclei and were found also in the centromeric heterochromatin region of metaphase chromosomes. These findings provide evidence that the viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase functions to synthesize virus-specific DNA early after infection and that newly synthesized viral DNA rapidly becomes associated with or integrated into specific intranuclear sites.
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000032:analysis*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017988:Gammaretrovirus; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000032:analysis; D007621:Karyotyping; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine; D051379:Mice; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014316:Tritium
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006570:Heterochromatin; D014316:Tritium; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase