Increased rate of RNA synthesis: early reaction of primary mouse kidney cells to infection with polyoma virus of simian virus 40

The rate of transcription in isolated nuclei of primary mouse kidney cells increases by a factor of about 1.5 between 5 and 8 h after infection with polyoma virus or simian virus 40. This process requires intact virus and is inhibited by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. It appears to involve the activity of all three nuclear RNA polymerases, and evidence was obtained for an increase in the rate of synthesis of most, if not all, species of RNA that were already produced in resting cells before infection. The additional synthesis of a few new RNA species not made in uninfected cells, however, cannot be excluded. The increase in the rate of transcription seems to precede an increase in the rate of translation in infected cells. Our additional finding that large and small tumor antigens (T-antigens) are synthesized at the same time after infection suggests that these cellular reactions are early consequences of the action of one or both of these T-antigens in the infected cell. Experiments with simian virus 40 mutants provided strong evidence for an involvement of large-T-antigen but not of small t-antigen. These studies furthermore indicate that the increase in the transcription rate is a prerequisite for the induction of DNA replication in simian virus 40-infected mouse kidney cells.

Analysis of recombination in mammalian cells using SV40 genome segments having homologous overlapping termini

Segments of SV40 DNA having homologous overlapping termini recombine to produce viable genomes in monkey cells. Frequencies of recombination on either side of a deletion marker are non-random; replication and palindromes do not appear to be essential. Since recombination involves host enzymes, a suitable system has been devised for analysing host cell recombination functions.

Mapping of SV40 DNA replication origin region binding sites for the SV40 T antigen by protection against exonuclease III digestion

Incubation of 32P-5' end-labeled DNA fragments of less than 500 bp with excess amounts of the 3' leads to 5', double strand-dependent nuclease Exonuclease III generally results in single-stranded products of slightly more than half the size of the uncleaved substrate. When such restriction fragments of known size and sequence containing the lac operator were incubated with purified lac repressor, Exonuclease III cleavage was blocked at the 3' borders of the operator on each strand. It was possible to define the DNA sequence between the two boundaries of repressor-mediated exonuclease blockade by electrophoresing the single-stranded, protected products in urea-containing polyacrylamide gels in parallel with a dimethylsulfate modification-cleavage digest of the end-labeled, uncleaved substrate. The same approach was applied to an analysis of sites of large SV40 T antigen protection in the vicinity of the origin of SV40 DNA replication. Three discrete boundaries of apparent protection were observed--one on the "late" side of the origin and two on the "early" side. These sequences may constitute the 3' borders of discrete T antigen-binding sites in the origin region. Alternatively, one or more of these blockade points may signify regions of the genome which undergo conformational changes resulting in Exonuclease III resistance due to vicinal T antigen binding.

Adenovirus regulation of simian virus 40 macromolecular synthesis

At low multiplicities of infection (1 to 5 PFU/cell), human adenoviruses grew inefficiently in monkey kidney cells as the result of a late transcriptional and/or translational defect. Through an unknown mechanism, coinfection with simian virus 40 (SV40) could overcome this block. Coincident with the onset of adenovirus DNA replication in coinfected monkey cells, however, there was a marked inhibition of SV40 DNA replication. Since this inhibition in SV40 DNA synthesis occurred in the presence of normal SV40 transcription and protein synthesis, we suggest that adenovirus competes with SV40 for molecules specifically required for DNA synthesis (e.g., SV40 T-antigen). At high multiplicities of adenovirus infection (50 PFU/cell), adenoviruses could grow efficiently in monkey kidney cells. In cells coinfected under these conditions, SV40 transcription was generally inhibited, as shown by a decrease in nuclear and cytoplasmic SV40 mRNA.

Expression of early and late simian virus 40 transcripts in the absence of protein synthesis

We examined the synthesis of early and late simian virus 40 (SV40) mRNA's in SV40-infected cells treated with two kinds of protein synthesis inhibitors. SV40 stimulated the synthesis of mRNA's for both large and small tumor antigens in cells pretreated with the drug emetine before the addition of virus. Emetine is a stringent inhibitor of protein synthesis and, thus, protein factors necessary for transcription and processing of these mRNA's probably preexist in the cell. Surprisingly, infection of cells pretreated with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide stimulated the synthesis of about 10-fold-higher levels of early viral mRNA's than did comparable infections of nontreated cells. This amplification of early viral mRNA steady-state levels is probably not due to inhibition of synthesis of the early A gene product since the same degree of drug-specific amplification was seen in SV40 tsA-infected cells that were cultured at the nonpermissive temperature. However, the most interesting effect of cycloheximide addition on viral mRNA synthesis was its stimulation of the appearance of late mRNA's in the cytoplasm of cells at early periods of infection. The synthesis of late mRNA's does not appear to require the A gene product as late RNAs can be found in the cytoplasm of cells infected with SV40 tsA mutants which have been maintained at 41 degrees C and continuously cultured in the presence of cycloheximide.

Analysis of binding interactions between histone core complex and simian virus 40 DNA. A comparison of acetylated versus non-acetylated histone core complexes

The interactions of acetylated and non-acetylated core complex histones with simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA 1 have been analyzed. A modified filter-binding assay utilizing micrococcal nuclease, which allows quantification of histone octamer binding to DNA has been developed. Using this assay it was determined that both non-acetylated core complex histones ad core complex histones acetylated with acetyl adenylate to levels existing in vivo bind cooperatively to SV40 DNA 1. Although both interactions are cooperative, the magnitude of the cooperativity parameter, omega, is significantly less in the acetylated case. This difference in cooperativity is in contrast to the nearly identical intrinsic association constant, K, observed in both cases.

The initiation of SV40 DNA synthesis is not unique to the replication origin

Replicative intermediates of SV40 were isolated, digested with the restriction endonuclease Bgl I and examined by electron microscopy. Over 98% of the replicative intermediates isolated following infection with wild-type virions at 33 degrees, 37 degrees or 40 degrees C or with tsA209 at 33 degrees C had initiated replication about 35 nucleotides to one side of the Bgl I site. Approximately 1% of the molecules had initiated replication about 2400 nucleotides from the Bgl I site. The remaining molecules may have initiated at other sites. When tsA209 virion-infected cultures were shifted to 40.5 degrees C for 90 min, the relative rate of thymidine incorporation into superhelical viral DNA dropped by more than 97%. The remaining incorporation was not due to "leakiness." The label incorporated into mature superhelical molecules during brief pulses was not preferentially incorporated near the terminus of replication as it was at 33 degrees C. Approximately 33% of the incorporated label represented repair synthesis. Electron microscopy revealed that half of the replicative intermediates formed under these conditions appear to have been initiated randomly around the SV40 genome. Rolling circle molecules contaminated all the preparations of replicative intermediates.

5,6-dichloro-1-beta-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole enhances premature termination of late transcription of simian virus 40 DNA

Short RNA chains initiating at the major promoter sites for simian virus 40 (SV40) late transcription are elongated to approximately 450 nucleotides in a molar ammount greater than that from any other region of the viral DNA. This conclusion is based on the following observations: (i) Transcriptional complexes isolated by Sarkosyl and by hypotonic leaching (minichromosomes) from nuclei of cells infected with SV40 as well as intact nuclei were pulse labeled in vitro with [alpha-32P]TUP and were observed to synthesize short RNA transcripts that hybridized predominantly to a SV40 DNA fragment spanning between 0.67 and 0.76 map units. (ii) In the presence of 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), a drug known to accentuate premature transcriptional termination, accumulation of these short SV40 RNA chains was enhanced. When SV40-infected cells were pretreated with DRB and then labeled in vivo or in vitro, they synthesized short labeled viral RNAs that hydridized almost exclusively with the DNA fragment spanning between 0.67 and 0.76 map units. These observations suggest a mechanism in the regulation of SV40 late transcription.

Transcription of simian virus 40 DNA by wheat germ RNA polymerase II. Priming of RNA synthesis by the 3'-hydroxyl of DNA at single strand nicks

Linear simian virus 40 DNA has been transcribed in vitro with wheat germ RNA polymerase II. Transcription products have been fractionated on polyacrylamide gels and several discrete sized RNA bands are seen. The RNA band pattern is affected dramatically by deoxyribonuclease treatment during RNA isolation. This is because most of the RNA synthesized is covalently linked to DNA. This linkage has been demonstrated by density analysis in formaldehyde-CsCl gradients and by incorporation of alkali-stable ribonucleotides into DNA. The linear DNA templates transcribed were generated by treatment of circular DNA with restriction enzymes which, in addition to cutting once at a single primary site, were found also to produce single strand nicks at specific secondary sites. The discrete sized RNA bands observed result from initiation at these nicks and terminated at DNA ends. There are two modes of nick-dependent initiation. In one mode the 3'-hydroxyl terminus of the DNA at a single strand nick serves as a primer for the extension of an RNA chain. In a second mode de novo initiation of an RNA chain is promoted at the nick. RNAs which are not primed initiate predominantly with GTP. The catalytic action of wheat germ RNA polymerase II is similar to that of Escherichia coli core RNA polymerase which has also been shown to synthesize primarily RNA which is covalently linked to DNA.

Chemical synthesis of tridecanucleoside dodecaphosphate sequence of SV40 DNA

The preparation, by the phosphotriester approach, of d[C-T-A-T-T-C-C-A-G-A-A-G-T] from one tetranucleoside triphosphate and three trinucleoside diphosphate blocks is described. The use of the o-dibromomethylbenzoyl (DBMB) protecting group in oligodeoxyribonucleotide synthesis is described for the first time. Internucleotide linkages are protected by o-chlorophenyl groups which are finally removed by treatment with the N1, N1, N3, N3-tetramethylguanidinium salt of syn-4-nitrobenzaldoxime. The first phosphorylation step (leading to phosphodiester intermediates) is carried out by treatment with o-chlorophenyl phosphorodi-(1,2,4-triazolide) followed by treatment with water and triethylamine. 1-Mesitylenesulphonyl-3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole (MSNT) is used as the activating agent in the second phosphorylation step in which 5'-protected mono- and di-nucleotides are condensed with nucleoside building blocks containing unprotected 3'-hydroxy functions.

Localization of the binding sites of prokaryotic and eukaryotic RNA polymerases on simian virus 40 DNA

The binding sites of calf thymus RNA polymerase (B) II, wheat germ RNA polymerase B and of the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase were mapped on the simian virus 40 genome by observation of enzyme-linear DNA complexes by electron microscopy. Three to four major sites and several minor sites are observed for each enzyme; common binding sites for the three enzymes are found in positions 0.17, 0.53 and 0.90 of the viral physical map. Initiation complexes with these enzymes can be stabilized with specific ribodinucleotides and a single ribonucleoside triphosphate. Whereas ApA and ATP greatly enhances the binding of the E. coli enzyme at position 0.17, they stabilize the binding of the eukaryotic enzyme at many sites, some of them located in close proximity of the origin of replication.

A small RNA induced late in simian virus 40 infection can associate with early viral mRNAs

Analysis of total cytoplasmic and polyadenylylated cytoplasmic RNA from cells lytically infected with simian virus 40 (SV40) has demonstrated the presence of a small RNA, approximately 65 nucleotides long, that is induced late in lytic infection. This small RNA is apparently specific in size and sequence and is not selected on columns of oligo(dT)-cellulose. It is homologous to a region of the early SV40 mRNAs (and to the late DNA strand), starting approximately 250 nucleotides from the 3' end of the early mRNAs (SV40 map position 0.21). The function of this RNA in the viral cycle and its source are unknown at this time; however, its temporal expression, unique sequence, and interesting region of homology within the SV40 genome suggest a possible role in the control of SV40 gene expression.

Variable defectiveness for lytic growth of the dl 54/59 mutants of simian virus 40

When viral growth in TC-7 cells is compared with that in the simian virus 40 (SV40) transformed CV-1 line C6 some mutants of SV40 deleted between 0.54 and 0.59 on the standard map (dl 54/59 mutants) give relative bursts similar to those of wild-type strain 776, whereas others grow markedly poorer in the untransformed cell. In general, viruses which are defective by this criterion have been found to produce neither a fragmentary small-t protein nor a mature small-t mRNA.

Late modifications of simian virus 40 chromatin during the lytic cycle occur in an immature form of virion

Two main modifications of the simian virus 40 chromatin were found to occur during the lytic cycle. One was the progressive increase in the acetylation level in the four non-H1 histones as the 75S deoxynucleoprotein complexes (minichromosomes) became assembled into heavier structures. The other was the final elimination from viral chromatin of histone H1. An important stage in the course of these changes was represented by an intracellular simian virus 40 particle, in which the virus-coded proteins were already assembled, but properties distinct from those of mature virions were still present. This particle resembled the mature virions in morphology, sedimentation rate, and buoyant density. It was distinguished by the instability, the presence of histone H1, the uptake of radioactive acetate, and the lower infectivity. Its significance appears to be that of an immature virion on the basis of these characters and of the consistent kinetic behavior during the lytic cycle.

In vitro splicing of SV40 late mRNA in isolated nuclei from CV-1 cells

An in vitro splicing system utilizing isolated nuclei of SV40 infected cells has been developed. Nuclei were isolated from CV-1 cells at a late stage of SV40 infection after a pulse-labeling with 3H-uridine. In nuclei prepared under mild isotonic conditions, 19S viral coded RNA synthesized in vivo was converted in vitro into 16S mRNA. In contrast, the nuclei prepared with RSB, a hypotonic medium, showed a very low splicing activity only. Addition of a "nuclear extract" to these nuclei restored the activity almost to the original level. These results indicate that 1) 19S RNA is indeed a precursor to 16S mRNA 2) the splicing of 19S RNA into 16S RNA takes place in the nucleus, and 3) at least a part of the enzyme system required for splicing could be extracted from the nucleus. This in vitro system may be useful for the assay of the splicing enzyme(s).

Transcription of the viral genome in cell lines transformed by simian virus 40. I. Mapping of virus-specific nuclear RNAs

Mapping of virus-specific nuclear transcripts was carried out in three lines of rat cells transformed by SV40. Each of these cell lines contained a single copy of integrated viral DNA with identified regions adjacent to cell DNA (1). The main virus-specific nuclear transcript in all of these cell lines was shown to be complementary to the minus strand of the early region in SV40 genome. Each cell nucleus contained approximately 50 copies of these RNAs. Transcripts complementary to both strands of the late region in viral genome were also detectable in all of these cell lines. Its content varied depending on the cell line and was 20-50-fold less than that of the main virus-specific transcript. All the regions of integrated SV40 genome in isolated nuclei of transformed cells were equally sensitive to pancreatic DNase I treatment suggesting that the whole viral genome served as a template for RNA synthesis in these cell lines.