Serological analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase of avian oncornaviruses. II. Comparison of avian deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases

Monospecific antiserum prepared against the isolated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) neutralized the endogenous ribonucleic acid-instructed DNA polymerase activity of detergent-disrupted virus. The viral polymerase was serologically unrelated to the seven major structural polypeptides of AMV. Furthermore, the viral enzyme was distinguished from normal cellular DNA polymerases by serological criteria; thus, antiserum against the viral enzyme neutralized its homologous antigen but not normal cellular DNA polymerases. Neutralization by antibody of viral DNA polymerase activity was observed with all avian leukemia-sarcoma viruses tested, irrespective of viral antigenic subtype. The DNA polymerase activity of avian reticuloendotheliosis virus, and of a variety of mammalian oncornaviruses, was not neutralized by antisera against the AMV polymerase. Immunological analysis of the RSValpha(O) mutant, which is deficient in DNA polymerase activity, shows this mutant to lack demonstrable polymerase antigen. Viral polymerase was identified by immunofluorescence as a cytoplasmic constituent in virus-producing chicken cells; polymerase antigen was not detected in uninfected (gs(-)) chicken cells.

Absence of polymerase protein in virions of alpha-type rous sarcoma virus

Noninfectious particles of a mutant of Rous sarcoma virus failed to exhibit DNA polymerase activity even with the use of the most sensitive synthetic template-primer complexes. A neutralization blocking test against antibody to DNA polymerase revealed that these mutants did not contain protein immunologically related to the DNA polymerase.

Inert Gases in Lunar Samples

Sample 10084,40 (fines, less than 1 millimeter) contains substantial amounts of the inert gases. Their concentrations are inversely proportional to particle size; hence the gases appear to be surface-correlated in the soil fragments. The most likely origin of the gas is solar wind or solar cosmic rays. Glass and feldspar are generally poorer in gas than lithic fragments. Ratios of elements in the sample differ significantly from solar values. Ratios of isotopes in the sample are similar to those in meteorites. Argon-40 appears to consist of a radiogenic and a surface-correlated component. An apparent potassium-argon age of 4.42(+0.24)(-0.28) billion years is calculated.

Spontaneous, malignant transformation of hamster embryo cells in vitro

Primary hamster-embryo cells were dispersed in vitro. The frequency of colony development depended on the original method used for dispersing the cells and on the number of cells seeded. Cell populations derived from passages in vitro of 3 colony isolates produced tumors when inoculated into baby or adult hamsters. Similar populations derived from primary or confluent, passaged cell cultures failed to produce tumors. The transformed cells were long, parallel Fibroblasts or short, randomly arranged spindle types. It is suggested that malignant, spontaneous transformation of cells occurs within a limited number of passages in vitro and that these cells may be a factor in virus-induced cell transformations.