Susceptibility to erbB-induced erythroblastosis is a dominant trait of 151 chickens.

Rous-associated virus-1 (RAV-1)-induced erythroblastosis results from proviral insertions into or viral transductions of the c-erbB region of the epidermal growth factor gene. Most chickens develop low incidences (less than 5%) of RAV-1-induced erythroblastosis. However, an inbred line of chickens (151) suffers high incidences (approximately 80%) of RAV-1-induced erythroblastosis. Analysis of 151, K28, and (K28 X 151) X K28 chickens for susceptibility to RAV-1-induced erythroblastosis revealed that susceptibility to RAV-1-induced erythroblastosis is a dominant trait of line 151 chickens. Analysis of 151 X K28 and K28 chicks for susceptibility to the induction of erythroblastosis by two new c-erbB-transducing viruses (avian erythroblastosis virus strains AEV-5005 and AEV-5009) revealed that susceptibility to transformation by new c-erbB-transducing viruses is also a dominant trait of 151 chickens. We think it is likely that both of these dominant traits are encoded by the same gene or genes. Our hypothesis is that this gene (or genes) potentiates the ability of the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the epidermal growth factor receptor to transform cells.

High-frequency transduction of c-erbB in avian leukosis virus-induced erythroblastosis.

Twenty-one cases of Rous-associated virus type 1-induced erythroblastosis have been analyzed for novel restriction endonuclease fragments of c-erbB. Twenty of the erythroleukemias contained novel c-erbB fragments; 10 of these were found to contain a proviral insertion in c-erbB, and 10 were found to have a new transduction of c-erbB. Each of the proviral insertions was in the same transcriptional orientation as c-erbB, and most appeared to have retained both long terminal repeats as well as 5' viral sequences that signal packaging of RNA into virions. Each of the new c-erbB transducing viruses had a characteristic EcoRI fragment that contained a spliced form of c-erbB sequences. When inoculated into 1-week-old chickens, the new transducing viruses caused rapid-onset erythroblastosis.

Avian leukosis virus-induced osteopetrosis is associated with the persistent synthesis of viral DNA.

DNAs from 19 cases of avian leukosis virus-induced osteopetrosis have been analyzed for viral sequences. Among these were instances of rapid, intermediate, and slow onset osteopetrosis. The DNAs from osteopetrotic bone contained no evidence for osteopetrosis being caused by proviral insertions into or viral transductions of a host protooncogene. Instead, DNAs from osteopetrotic bone displayed evidence for osteopetrosis being associated with the persistent synthesis of viral DNA. Each of the 19 DNAs contained unintegrated as well as integrated viral DNA. Rapid onset osteopetrosis contained about 3X more viral and proviral DNA than intermediate or late onset osteopetrosis. Unintegrated viral DNA could not be detected in DNAs extracted from the bursa bone marrow of osteopetrotic chickens or in DNA extracted from the normal bones of an avian leukosis virus-infected chicken. Thus, the persistent synthesis of unintegrated viral DNA was observed in osteopetrotic but not normal tissues of avian leukosis virus-infected chickens.