Characterization of DNA polymerase and RNA associated with A-type particles from murine myeloma cells

Expression of the intracisternal A particle endogenous retrovirus genes over the lifetime of mouse and Syrian hamster

Transcription of intracisternal A particle genes in several tissues has been examined throughout the lifespan of inbred C57BL/6J and outbred wild-type mice and golden Syrian hamster. In both rodent species, expression of the genes occurs at all ages and in all tissues. Also, in both species, RNA transcripts of heterogeneous lengths are found that correspond in size not only to the proviral genes previously characterized but also to genes larger than those reported. In hamster, the size heterogeneity is more extensive than in the mouse, where discrete size transcripts are detectable over the heterogeneous signal. Transcription of these genes throughout the lifespan is not peculiar to the hamster or inbred laboratory mouse strain (C57BL/6J) but also occurs in many tissues of outbred wild-type Mus musculus at each age examined. Lifelong transcription of intracisternal A particle retrovirus genes raises the suggestion that retrovirus proteins and cDNA are continuously produced and could facilitate cumulative genomic rearrangements. This could lead to improper gene regulation and thus contribute to the age-dependent increase of cancer and more generally to the aging process itself.

Detection of a human intracisternal A-type retroviral particle antigenically related to HIV

Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by dryness of the mouth and eyes. The loss of salivary and lacrimal gland function is accompanied by lymphocytic infiltration. Because similar symptoms and glandular pathology are observed in certain persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a search was initiated for a possible retroviral etiology in this syndrome. A human intracisternal A-type retroviral particle that is antigenically related to HIV was detected in lymphoblastoid cells exposed to homogenates of salivary tissue from patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Comparison of this retroviral particle to HIV indicates that they are distinguishable by several ultrastructural, physical, and enzymatic criteria.

Activation of putative transposition intermediate formation in tumor cells

The transcription levels of two families of mouse repetitive elements namely intracisternal A particle (IAP) genes, and B2 sequences were analyzed in different tumor cells and normal tissues. These sequences belong to two major classes of mobile elements present in the mouse genome. The Northern blots containing poly(A) + RNAs from tumor cells and normal tissues were hybridized to the cloned IAP gene and B2 sequence. The content of IAP gene transcripts in tumor cells is much higher than in normal cells. A 10- to 100-fold difference was found. The predominant IAP-gene specific RNAs in all investigated tumor cells were 9.5, 6.8 and 5.3 kb long. Additional RNA species were found in some of the tumors. The active synthesis of small cytoplasmic B2 RNA transcribed by RNA polymerase III was also detected in most tumor cells tested. Usually it was higher than in normal cells. Free closed circular DNAs hybridizing to IAP gene probes were cloned from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. We speculate that the data obtained indicate the enhanced transposition of mobile elements in tumor cells which may be an important factor of tumor progression.

Properties of an intracisternal A-particle-associated endonuclease activity which is stimulated by ATP

An endonuclease activity associated with purified proteinase K-treated intracisternal A-particles was identified and characterized. The activity required divalent cations, preferring Mn2+ to Mg2+. Salt concentrations above 50 mM inhibited the activity. The endonuclease was greatly stimulated by ATP, ADP, and dATP, whereas AMP appeared to produce a slight inhibition. GTP had no apparent effect on the activity. The enzyme introduced single-stranded nicks into DNA and nicked preferentially supercoiled DNA duplexes in the presence of ATP, although linear duplexes also functioned as substrates. Single-stranded DNA was not nicked to any great extent. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be about 40,000. The characteristics of this enzyme are very similar to those of the endonuclease found associated with Friend murine leukemia virus.

Characterization of infectious oncornaviruses from MOPC-460 plasmacytomas: their relation to A-type particles

MOPC-460 mouse plasmacytoma cells produce intracellular A-type particles and extracellular oncornavirus-like particles ("myeloma-associated virus," abbreviated MAV). The genomes of these two particles are closely related. During attempts to establish infections with MOPC-460 extracellular particles, we isolated ecotropic and xenotropic infectious forms of murine leukemia virus. We have investigated the relation of these isolates to A-type particles and to MAV by nucleic acid hybridization. Using complementary DNA probes prepared from the two isolates, we found that these infectious murine leukemia viruses differ from A-type particles and from MAV. Moreover, we found that MAV is the predominant extracellular component: the ecotropic and xenotropic forms of murine leukemia virus were present at only low levels (less than 5%) in MAV preparations. Neither the SC-1 cells infected with ectropic murine leukemia virus nor the mink cells infected with xenotropic murine leukemia virus showed any A-type particles in their cytoplasm when examined by electron microscopy. Our inability to demonstrate infection by the A-type particle-related component, MAV, suggests that these may be defective.

Characterization of the proteins of intracisternal type A and extracellular oncornavirus-like particles produced by MOPC-460 myeloma cells

The mouse plasmacytoma cell line, MOPC-460, produces both intracisternal and intracytoplasmic A-type particles when grown as a solid tumor. When these cells are grown either as an ascites tumor or in tissue culture, a third type of particle is produced extracellularly. This particle, the "myeloma-associated virus," is closely related to, and probably an alternate form of, the intracisternal A-type particle. The proteins present in these two types of particles were compared by tryptic peptide mapping. Both types of particles were found to contain essentially the same major proteins of 76,000 (p76), 68,000 to 70,000 (p68-70), and 45,000 (p45) daltons, in addition to varying amounts of smaller proteins. The relative proportions of all these proteins varied from preparation to preparation in an unpredictable way. The p45, p68, and p70 proteins all contained sequences found in p76, suggesting precursor-product relationships of p76 leads to p70 leads to p45 for solid tumor A-type particles and p76 leads to p68 leads to p45 for extracellular myeloma-associated virus. In addition, immune precipitation experiments have established that p76 contains at least some of the antigenic determinants characteristic of murine leukemia virus p30. This confirms earlier nucleic acid hybridization studies which indicated a moderate degree of relatedness between MOPC-460 A-type particles and several standard murine leukemia and sarcoma viruses. Taken together, our results provide evidence supporting the concept that MOPC-460 A-type particles may represent aberrant forms of C-type murine viruses.

Genetic individuality of intracisternal A-particles of Mus musculus

The nucleic acid sequence relationship between mouse intracisternal type A-particles and type C and B viruses was examined by reciprocal complementary DNA-RNA hybridization; complementary DNAs prepared from the RNAs of intracisternal A-particles were hybridized with high-molecular-weight RNAs from a variety of murine tumor viruses, and complementary DNAs representing a variety of RNA tumor virus genomes were hybridized with the high-molecular-weight RNAs from A-particles. The criterion for homology between two types of virus was that the heterologous hybridization reaction occurs over the same RNA concentration range as the homologous reacton. The results of these hybridizations indicate that there are no major sequence homologies between the RNA of intracisternal A-particles and the RNA of representative members of type B and C viruses of Mus musculus.

Nucleotide sequence relationship between intracisternal type A particles of Mus musculus and an endogenous retrovirus (M432) of Mus cervicolor

Intracisternal type A particles are retrovirus-like structures found in embryonic cells and many tumors of Mus musculus but having no clear relationship with other retroviruses of this mouse species. We have observed a partial nucleotide sequence homology between the high-molecular-weight (32S and 35S) RNA components of intracisternal A-particles from a neuroblastoma cell line and the 70S RNA fraction from M432, a type of retrovirus endogenous to the Asian mouse Mus cervicolor. M432 complementary DNA (cDNA) was hybridized to the extent of 30% by the A-particle RNAs. The hybrids showed a lower thermal stability (DeltaT(m), 7 degrees C) than those formed with homologous RNA. The reaction was commensurate with that found between M432 cDNA and divergent sequences in the M. musculus genome. The capacity to hybridize M432 cDNA was closely correlated with the concentration of A-particle sequences in the cytoplasmic RNA of several M. musculus cell types. The major RNA fraction of M432 virus showed a reciprocal partial reaction with the A-particle cDNA's; the virus, which was grown in NIH/3T3 (M. musculus) cells, also contained a small proportion of apparently authentic A-particle nucleotide sequences. A subset of A-particle sequences seemed to be almost totally lacking in the main M432 RNA. The A-particle cDNA's hybridized extensively with divergent sequences in M. cervicolor cellular DNA, indicating that this mouse species may contain not only the partially homologous M432 virogene, but also a more complete genetic equivalent of the intracisternal A-particle.

RNA associated with murine intracisternal type A particles codes for the main particle protein

Intracisternal type A particles were isolated from MOPC-104E myeloma grown subcutaneously and from N 4 neuroblastoma cells in culture. Polyadenylated RNA was prepared from the particles and tested in a cell-free translation system derived from rabbit reticulocytes. RNA from the two sources directed the synthesis of multiple polypeptides with similar distributions of electrophoretic mobilities in sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels, including one conponent of the same size as the major A-particle structural protein (73,000 daltons). Analysis of the RNAs by electrophoresis in methyl mercury-containing agarose gels revealed a 35S component common to A-particles from both cell types. This was a major component of the N4 preparations, whereas a 28S species predominated in the case of MOPC-104E. These two RNAs (35S from N4 cells and 28S from MOPC-104E), when isolated on isokinetic sucrose gradients, each directed the synthesis of a 73,000-molecular-weight polypeptide that comigrated on gels with authentic A-particle structural protein. Idnetity of the cell-free product was confirmed by two-dimensional analysis of the [35S]methionine-labeled tryptic peptides. The N4 RNA preparations also contained a major32S component which did not code effectively for the A-particle structural protein.

Purification and characterization of DNA polymerases from the plasmacytoma MOPC 104E and Abelson murine leukemia viruses

RNA-dependent DNA polymerases of intracisternal A particles from the mouse plasma cell tumor MOPC 104E and of Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV) were isolated from particle preparations by Nonidet P40 and ultrasonic treatment and purified by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and phosphocellulose, followed by centrifugation in linear sucrose gradients. Both DNA polymerases were very similar in their elution patterns from phospho and DEAE-cellulose, template specificities, requirements for optimum activity and inactivation by anti-(reverse transcriptase) antiserum. They are associated with ribonuclease H activity. For molecular weight determinations, antibody-precipitated enzymes were bound to staphylococcal-protein-A-Sepharose, solubilized and run on dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gels. Their apparent molecular weight was estimated to be 80000.

The development and degeneration of Purkinje cells in pcd mutant mice

Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd), an autosomal recessive mutation in the mouse, causes the postnatal death of virtually all cerebellar Purkinje cells during the third and fourth postnatal week. We have compared the postnatal development of normal and pcd mutant Purkinje cells. The early deviations from normal development involve primarily the perikaryonal polysomes and endoplasmic reticulum. Many of the mutant Purkinje cells retain abnormally the basal accumulation of polysomes, a finding which permits the identification of affected animals at postnatal day 15, one week prior to the onset of behavioral abnormalities. In addition, the affected Purkinje cells possess unusual configurations of endoplasmic reticulum with associated electron-dense particles similar to but larger than ribosomes, mature and forming intracisternal A particles and nematosomes. Before the pcd Purkinje cells degenerate they appear to receive all their appropriate synaptic contacts. Some disruption, however, of parallel fiber: Purkinje spine synaptogenesis occurs at late stages of development. Some spines lack presynaptic elements, postsynaptic thickenings are present along the dendritic shafts and parallel fibers appear to make synaptic contacts directly onto the shafts. The spectrum of early morphological changes that has been observed in pcd mutant Purkinje cells is thus far unique to this cerebellar abnormality.

Sequences associated with intracisternal A particles are reiterated in the mouse genome

Using a 3H-cDNA for RNA sequences specifically associated with murine intracisternal type A particles, we have found multiple copies of this information in high molecular weight nuclear DNA from tissues of both Mus muscules (BALB/c, NIH Swiss, A/Jax and feral) and Mus cervicolor. Reiteration frequencies varied from 1050-1800 per haploid genome, except that fewer copies (450) were found in BALB/3T3 cells. In the series studied, the reiteration frequencies in the DNA of A particle-rich tumor cells (myeloma and neuroblastoma) were not higher than those in normal tissues (liver and sperm). Multiple copies were retained when cellular DNAs were sedimented through alkaline sucrose gradients, indicating that the sequences are integrated in the mouse genome. In situ hybridization with cDNA showed that the sequences were associated with many chromosomes and were concentrated over certain regions of some chromosomes. Only low levels of homologous sequences were detected in rat, hamster and guinea pig DNA under stringent conditions of hybridization. The presence of reiterated sequence transcripts in poly(A) RNA from a neuroblastoma A particle fraction was confirmed by direct hybridization of the RNA with cellular DNA.

Characterization of an RNA-directed DNA polymerase found in association with murine intracytoplasmic A-particles

An RNA-directed DNA polymerase was found to be associated with intracytoplasmic A-particles from DBA/2 mouse leukemia cells. The enzyme activity was detected after disrupting the purified particles with 2 M NaCl-20 mM dithiothreitol. The presence of a divalent cation and all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates was essential for this enzyme activity. The enzyme had a clear preference for Mg2+ over Mn2+. Cesium sulfate isopycnic gradient centrifugation of the DNA product synthesized in the actinomycin D-containing reaction revealed the presence of DNA-RNA hybrid. Furthermore, the purified DNA product was found to hybridize with RNA isolated from A-particles. These observations strongly indicate that the endogenous A-particle RNA serves as the template for the DNA polymerase.

DNA polymerases from intracisternal A-type particles on the mouse plasmacytoma MPC 11

Intracisternal A particles from mouse plasma cell tumors were isolated from microsomal vesiclels by detergent treatment and separated in linear sucrose gradients. Four peaks of DNA polymerase activities banding at densities of 1.30, 1.24, 1.20--1.22 and 1.13 g/cm3 were observed assaying on poly(rA).oligo(dT). Solubolized DNA polymerases of the 1.30 g/cm3...

Physicochemical analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid product of murine intracisternal A particle RNA-directed DNA polymerase

The nascent DNA transcript of intracisternal A particle RNA-directed DNA polymerase appeared to be covalently linked to an RNA primer. Fidelity of transcription is evident since the DNA transcript hybridized specifically back to 35-70 S RNA of intracisternal A particles but not with heterologous RNAs. This DNA transcript has an approximate molecular weight of 145 000, estimating 350 polynucleotides and base ratios with an excess of dGMP.

Differential response of type C and intracisternal type A particle markers in cells treated with iododeoxyuridine and dexamethasone

Mouse neuroblastoma cells containing intracisternal type A particles were treated with iododeoxyuridine and dexamethasone to induce the release of type C oncornavirus particles. For 5 days after treatment, antigenic markers and DNA polymerase activities specific to particles of each of the two types were assayed in the cells and in pellets obtained by high-speed centrifugation of the culture fluid. There was a marked release of C-particle antigen (p30) and DNA polymerase activity in extracellular particulate form, reaching a maximum on day 3 after treatment and falling thereafter. In contrast, no extracellular A-particle antigen was detected, and A-particle-specific DNA polymerase activity in the medium pellets did not increase from the original very low level. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of free type C virus particles, but not intracisternal type A particles, in the culture fluid. Although intracellular levels of C-particle antigen rose 20- to 30-fold per milligram of cell protein, intracellular A-particle antigen and DNA polymerase activity did not vary more than two-fold. The relative rate of A-particle synthesis in the treated cells, as judged by incorporation of radioactive amino acids into the major structural protein (P73), was also unchanged over the period of observation. Thus, the induction of type C virus particle formation in cultured neuroblastoma cells had no detectable effect on the quantity, synthesis rate, or location of intracisternal type A particles.

Intracisternal A particles from FLOPC-1 BALB/c myeloma: presence of high-molecular-weight RNA and RNA-dependent DNA polymerase

Intracisternal A particles from the FLOPC-1 line of BALB/c myeloma have been shown to contain high-molecular-weight RNA (60 to 70S) that is sensitive to RNase, alkali degradation, and heat but resistant to Pronase treatment. The intracisternal A-particle RNA contains tract of poly (A) approximately 180 nucleotides long. As shown in a reconstitution experiment, by antigenic analysis of A-particle preparation and the SC cytopathogenicity assay, the 70S RNA was not due to contamination by type C virus particles. The FLOPC-1 intracisternal A particles also possess an endogenous RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. The enzyme required Mn2+ or Mg2+, dithiothreitol, detergent, and four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates for maximum activity. Enzymatic activity was maximally stimuated by poly (rC)-oligo (dG)12-18 and less with poly (rG)-oligo (dC)10 or poly (rA)-oligo (dT)12-18 as compare with synthetic DNA/DNA duplex templates such as poly (dA)-oligo (dT)12-18. The enzyme can utilize the A-particle endogenous RNA as template as shown by analysis of the early and late DNA products of the endogenous reaction by CsSO4 isopycnic gradient centrifuation and hybridization of purified 70S or 35S A-particle RNA with the purified complementary DNA product. Approximately 50% of the A-particle complementary DNA also hybridized with oncornavirus RNA.

Relationships between intracisternal type A and extracellular oncornavirus-like particles produced in murine MOPC-460 myeloma cells

Oncornavirus-like particles of the "A" (both intracisternal and intracytoplasmic) and "B" or "C" (extracellular) types are produced by murine MOPC-460 myeloma cells. This communication describes a comparative study on tracisternal A and extracellular particles. Both types of particles contain an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity, traces of 35S and 70 S RNA in addition to larger amounts of degraded RNA, and proteins of approximately 76,000 and 45, 000 daltons. The 76,000-dalton proteins from intracisternal A and extracellular particles have the same cyanogen bromide peptides. Hybridization kinetic analysis indicates that the RNAs in the two particles are identical or very closely related and share partial homology with Moloney leukemia virus RNA. In contrast, the particles appear to have little or no relationship to murine mammary tumor virus as judged by several different criteria. Electron microscope studies indicate that the extracellular particles arise from the budding of core components through the plasma membrane. These results suggest that the intracisternal A and extracellular oncornavirus-like particles produced by MOPC-460 cells are closely related.

Murine intracisternal type A particles: a biochemical characterization

Intracisternal A particle preparations from a murine neuroblastoma cell line (N18) and from a mineral oil-induced murine plasmacytoma (MOPC-104E) contain both an endogenous RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity and high molecular-weight polyadenylic acid (poly[A])-containing RNA. The DNA polymerase activity is stimulated by oligo(dG)-poly(C) and oligo(dT)-poly(A) and to a lesser extent by oligo(dT)-poly(dA), in agreement with previous reports. The high-molecular-weight RNA is predominantly 35S and contains a poly(A) tract of approximately 220 nucleotides as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Small amounts of 70S RNA are also present. This RNA preparation contains RNA homologous to RNA from type-C particles, as judged by molecular hybridization experiments. However, since this RNA derives only in part from A-particles and in part from other cellular RNA, hybridization of A-particle endogenously synthesized DNA or reverse transcripts of A-particle RNA to purified type C viral 70S RNA may more accurately reflect the relationship of A-particle RNA to RNA from C-particles. None of these DNA transcripts hybridizes significantly to C-particle 70S RNA, although MOPC and N18 DNA transcripts share significant homology. Our interpretation of these results is that murine intracisternal A particles are not closely related genetically to the tested murine type C viruses, although an alternate possibility is that all the A-particle DNA transcripts are copied from only a small part of the genome, which is unrelated to C-particle RNA.