title: Polyomavirus large T antigen zinc finger is not required for efficient cellular immortalization of primary rat embryo fibroblasts.
abstract: The polyomavirus large T antigen contains a zinc finger domain required for the formation of hexamers involved in viral DNA replication. Since mutations within the zinc finger domains of transforming proteins like SV40 large T antigen and human papilloma virus E7 protein generally decrease their overall transforming activity, we have examined the ability of a mutant polyomavirus large T antigen that harbors a deletion in sequences within the zinc finger motif to immortalize primary rat embryo fibroblasts. In contrast to result obtained with SV40 large T antigen and the human papilloma virus E7 protein we show that deletion of the entire zinc finger motif enhances the immortalization efficiency of this mutant T antigen.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche Louis-Charles Simard Institut du cancer de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pilon
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mes-Masson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000821:virology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming