Transformation of Human Cells by Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of Simian Virus 40

Authors:
  • CLChristopher A. Lomax
    Christopher A. Lomax
  • EBEdward Bradley
    Edward Bradley
  • JWJoseph Weber
    Joseph Weber
  • PBPierre Bourgaux
    Pierre Bourgaux
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Abstract
Conditions necessary for the establishment and maintenance of transformation of human cells by wild type and temperature-sensitive mutants of SV40 were examined. For both early and late mutants, the frequency of transformation was found to be up to 5-fold higher, and virus yield 100-fold lower, at 39° than at 33°. No such effect was observed with the wild type virus under the same conditions. This observation is apparently at variance with previously published work, but may be explained by the semi-permissive nature of the cells that we used. Increasing the temperature to 40.5° caused cells transformed by the early mutant, tsA30, to lose T-antigen as detectable by staining, and also to lose the abilit to grow to high density, while it produced no effect on cells transformed by wild type virus.