Resistance to mutagenesis of cells biochemically transformed by herpesvirus DNA fragments.

LM(TK-) mouse fibroblast cells that were biochemically transformed to the dThd kinase-positive phenotype by restriction nuclease fragments of herpes simplex virus or marmoset herpesvirus DNA, all of which contained the virus dThd kinase coding region, or by HeLa S3 DNA were more resistant to mutagenesis by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or 5-bromodeoxyuridine than were dThd kinase-positive LM and LM(TK-) cells. Measurements of dNTP pool sizes did not reveal relative imbalances for representative cell lines under several conditions of growth.

Nucleotide sequence of the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) thymidine kinase gene and predicted amino acid sequence of thymidine kinase polypeptide and its comparison with the HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene.

To analyze the boundaries of the functional coding region of the HSV-2(333) thymidine kinase gene (TK gene), deletion mutants of hybrid plasmid pMAR401 H2G, which contains the 17.5 kbp BglII-G fragment of HSV-2 DNA, were prepared and tested for capacity to transform LM(TK-) cells to the thymidine kinase-positive phenotype. These studies showed that hybrid plasmids containing 2.2-2.4 kbp subfragments of HSV-2 BglII-G DNA transformed LM(TK-) cells to the thymidine kinase-positive phenotype and suggested that the region critical for transformation might be less than 2 kbp. That the activity expressed in the transformants was HSV-2 thymidine kinase was shown by experiments with type-specific enzyme-inhibiting rabbit antisera and by disc-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses. DNA fragments of the HSV-2 TK gene were subcloned in phage M13mp9 and M13mp8. A sequence of 1656 bp containing the entire coding region of the TK gene and the flanking sequences was determined by the dideoxynucleotide chain termination method. Comparisons with the HSV-1(Cl 101) TK gene revealed that PstI, PvuII, and EcoRI cleavage sites had homologous locations as did promoter, translational start and stop, and polyadenylation signals. Extensive homology was observed in the nucleotide sequence preceding the ATG translational start signal and in portions of the coding region of the genes. Comparisons of the predicted amino acid sequences of the HSV-1 and HSV-2 thymidine kinase polypeptides revealed that both were enriched in alanine, arginine, glycine, leucine, and proline residues and that clear, but interrupted homology existed within several regions of the polypeptide chains. Stretches of 15-30 amino acid residues were identical in conserved regions. The possibility is suggested that domains containing some of the conserved amino acid sequences might have a role in substrate binding and as major antigenic determinants.

Sequential genital infections by herpes simplex viruses types 1 and 2: restriction nuclease analyses of viruses from recurrent infections.

Virus isolated from a woman presenting with the first symptomatic episode of genital herpes was identified as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) by restriction nuclease fingerprinting. Testing for IgM antibody to HSV indicated that the patient had recently contracted a new HSV infection. Virus microneutralization and the micro-solid phase radioimmunometric test for IgG, however, showed that the patient had had prior infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2); thus the HSV-1 infection was acquired despite the presence of antibody to HSV-2. Genital herpes recurred about four, seven, and nine months after the HSV-1 infection. Isolates from the latter three episodes all were of an identical strain of HSV-2 and were not recombinants or a mixture of the viruses. The data show that two distinctly different herpes simplex viruses can initiate genital infections in one individual and suggest that HSV-2 is more likely to recur than HSV-1.

The site of integration of the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase gene in human cells transformed by an HSV-1 DNA fragment.

To analyze the site of integration of the herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I) thymidine kinase (TK) gene in biochemically transformed human cells, TK-HeLa-(BU25) cells were transformed to the TK+ phenotype by a cloned, 2 kbp Pvull fragment of HSV-I DNA. The transformed cells [HeLa(BU25)/TF pAGO PP3] were fused with mouse LM(TK-) cells, and human-mouse somatic cell hybrid clones (LH PP3 clones 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) were isolated in HATG-ouabain selective medium. The HeLa(BU25)/TF pAGO PP3 cells and the LH PP3 hybrid clones expressed HSV-I specific TK activity and a herpesvirus-associated nuclear antigen, and contained herpesvirus nucleotide sequences. Molecular hybridization experiments were carried out to map the HSV-I and flanking cellular nucleotide sequences in the biochemically transformed cells. These experiments demonstrated that the HSV-I nucleotide sequences were integrated at a single site, and that the same cellular nucleotide sequences flanked the viral DNA in transformed HeLa(BU25)/TF pAGO PP3 and LH PP3 clone 5 cells. TK- revertant subclones isolated by growing the LH PP3 clone 5 cells in BrdUrd (and diphtheria toxin) failed to form colonies in HATG medium, but retained HSV-I nucleotide sequences. Isozyme analyses on 21 gene-enzyme systems representing 21 human chromosomes revealed that all of the LH PP3 clonal lines expressed human hexosaminidase B, which has been assigned to chromosome 5, and all were sensitive to diphtheria toxin, which is also a marker for chromosome 5. Chromosome analyses showed that chromosome 5 was the nly human chromosome present in mitoses of LH PP3 clone 5 cells and that human chromosome 5 was present in most of the mitoses of LH PP3 clone 1, 2, 3, and 6 cells. The latter clones also contained 1 or 2 additional human chromosomes in some of the cells. As expected from the molecular hybridization analyses, TK- revertants of LH PP3 clone 5 cells retained portions of chromosome 5 and expressed human hexosaminidase B. The results indicate that HSV-I nucleotide sequences were stably integrated in the biochemically transformed cells, most likely in human chromosome 5.

Expression of SV40 T antigen polypeptides in cells biochemically transformed by plasmids containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene and the genome of an SV40tsA mutant.

To study the expression of SV40 tsA genomes that had been non-selectively introduced into mouse cells, SV40 tsA207 DNA was cleaved with BamH I and ligated to BamH I-cleaved plasmid pAGO DNA, which contains a functional HSV-1 thymidine kinase (TK) gene in the form of 2 kbp Pvu II fragment inserted at the Pvu II site of pBR322. Recombinant plasmids (11-12 kbp) were isolated and amplified in E. coli K12 strain RRI. Restriction nuclease analyses demonstrated that recombinant plasmids pSB15 and pSB10 contained intact SV40 genomes with the polarity of transcription oriented in the same direction (clockwise) or the opposite direction (counterclockwise), respectively, in relation to that of the HSV-1 TK gene. Cla I-cleaved pSB10 and pSB15 DNAs were used to transform LM(TK-) cells to TK+. Serological and disc PAGE analyses showed that clonal lines transformed by these plasmids all expressed the selected marker, HSV-1 TK. Molecular hybridization experiments showed that transformed clonal lines TF pSB10 C7 and TF pSB15 C10 had integrated intact SV40 genomes at one integration site, TF pSB10 C3 had integrated an SV40 genome with a small deletion near the BamH I site, but TF pSB15 Cl had integrated a plasmid from which most of the SV40 nucleotide sequences had been deleted. IF assays with hamster anti-SV40 tumor sera showed that TF pSB10 C7 and TF pSB15 C10 strongly expressed SV40 T antigens in over 90% of the cells, TF pSB10 C3 expressed SV40 T antigens in a minority of the cells, and TF pSB15 C1 did not express SV40 T antigens at all. [35S]-methionine labelling and immunoprecipitation experiments showed that, at 36.5 degrees C: (1) TF pSB10 C7 and TF pSB15 C10 expressed 92K and 20K mol. wt. species of SV40 T antigens and 50-55K cellular protein; (2) expression of all three was reduced in TF pSB10 C3 cells; and (3) TF pSB15 C1 expressed none of the SV40 T antigens, nor did parental LM(TK-) or TF 8-2 transformed cells (which contained the HSV-1 TK gene but not SV40 DNA). At 40 degrees C, labelling of the 50-55K cellular protein was markedly reduced in TF pSB10 C7 and pSB15 C10 cells. The results suggest that SV40 large T antigen (92K) induces and/or stabilizes the 50-55K cellular protein in these mouse cells.

Biochemical transformation of thymidine kinase (TK)-deficient mouse cells by herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA fragments purified from hybrid plasmids.

The thymidine kinase (TK) gene of HSV-1 has been cloned in Escherichia coli K12 plasmids, pMH1, pMH1A, and pMH4. These plasmids contain a 1,92Obp HSV-1 TK DNA sequence, which replaces a 2,067 bp EcoR I to Pvu II sequence of plasmid pBR322 DNA. Superhelical DNAs of plasmids pMH1, pMH1A, and pMH4 as well as plasmid DNAs cleaved by EcoR I, Hinc II, Bg1 II, Sma I, and Pvu II transformed TK-deficient LM(TK-) cells to the TK+ phenotype. A 1,230bp EcoR I-Sma I fragment purified from pMH1 DNA (and from plasmid pAGO, DNA, the parent of pMH1) also transformed LM(TK-) cells. Serological and disc PAGE studies demonstrated that the TK activity expressed in biochemically transformed cells were HSV-1-specific. The experiments suggest that the HSV-1 TK coding region may be contained within a l.1kbp DNA sequence extending from about the Hinc II (or Bgl II) cleavage site to the Sma I site. 35S-methionine labeling experiments carried out on cell lines transformed by Hinc II-cleaved pMH1 DNA and by the EcoR I-Sma I fragment showed that the TKs purified from the transformed cells consisted of about 39-40,000 dalton polypeptides.

Biochemical transformation of mouse cells by a purified fragment of marmoset herpesvirus DNA.

Although the size of marmoset herpesvirus (MarHV) DNA, estimated by velocity sedimentation in sucrose gradients, was similar to that of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) DNA, the restriction endonuclease sites of MarHV and HSV-1 DNAs were quite different. A specific BamHI restriction fragment (6.2 x 10(6) daltons) of MarHV DNA biochemically transformed LM(TK-) mouse fibroblasts to the thymidine kinase(TK)-positive phenotype. Rabbit antisera, prepared against MarHV TK, inhibited MarHV-induced TK, but not HSV-1, HSV-2, or cellular TKs. Disc PAGE analyses and enzyme neutralization experiments with the anti-MarHV TK sera demonstrated that the TK expressed in MarHV transformants was MarHV-specific.

Detection of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase polypeptides in cells labeled with 35S-methionine.

To investigate the size of herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase (TK) polypeptides, procedures have been devised to purify the enzyme from infected cells labeled with 35S-methionine by (i) affinity chromatography on Sepharose-5'-amino-5'-deoxythymidine; (ii) preparative isoelectric focusing or preparative PAGE; and (iii) glycerol gradient centrifugation. Portions of enzyme fractions, at each purification step, were also treated with an immunoadsorbent, Sepharose-anti-HSV-1 TK immunoglobulin (IgG). Labeled polypeptides eluted from the immunoadsorbent were analyzed by electrophoresis in SDS slab gels and autoradiography. The results demonstrate that the molecular weights of HSV TK polypeptides are about 40,000. TK-negative HSV-1 mutant B2006 failed to induce the 40 K dalton polypeptide.

T antigen and initiation of cell DNA synthesis in a temperature-sensitive mouse line transformed by an SV40tsA mutant and in heterokaryons of the transformed cells and chick erythrocytes.

The role of SV40 gene A product in initiation of cellular DNA synthesis was investigated, using a mouse kidney line [mKSA207] transformed by SV40tsA207. mKSA207 cells were temperature sensitive for growth, lost SV40 T antigen (Tag) when incubated in low serum at 40degreeC, and accumulated Tag in the cytoplasm when fed 10% serum and incubated at the nonpermissive temperature (39.7degreeC). Following serum addition, the percentage of mKSA207 cells synthesizing DNA was essentially the same at nonpermissive (39.7 degrees C) and permissive temperatures (33.5degreeC). The cells entered S phase asynchronously at both temperatures, but most cells entered S within 16 h, and before Tag accumulated. mKSA207 synchronized by a double thymidine block also synthesized DNA at 39.7degreesC and entered a second S phase. Tag-depleted or Tag-synchronized mKSA207, when fused with chick erythrocytes (CE), activated CE DNA synthesis. At nonpermissive temperatures (39.7degreesC), 40% of CE nuclei in heterokaryons with Tag-depleted mKSA207 displayed 3H-thymidine--labeled nuclei 28--40 h after fusion, when only 12% of CE nuclei were Tag+. The experiments indicate that SV40 gene A product probably does not have a direct role as initiator of cellular DNA synthesis.

Mitochondrial and herpesvirus-specific deoxypyrimidine kinases.

To characterize and compare the thymidine (TdR) and deoxycytidine (CdR) kinase isozymes of uninfected and herpesvirus-infected cells: (i) the subcellular distribution of the isozymes has been studied; (ii) a specific assay for CdR kinase has been devised; (iii) the TdR kinase isozymes have been partially purified; and (iv) the purified enzymes have been analyzed by disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and glycerol gradient centrifugation and by substrate competition and dCTP inhibition studies. The results indicate that there are interesting individual differences with respect to nucleoside acceptor specificity between the cytosol and mitochondrial pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside kinases of uninfected cells and between the enzymes induced by different herpesviruses. In the cytosol of uninfected mouse, chicken, and owl monkey kidney cells, two different proteins, TdR kinase F and CdR kinase 2, catalyze the phosphorylations of TdR and CdR, respectively. TdR kinase F does not phosphorylate CdR, nor does CdR kinase 2 phosphorylate TdR. A second TdR kinase isozyme present in HeLa(BU25) mitochondria (TdR kinase B) also lacks CdR phosphorylating activity. In contrast, a genetically distinctive deoxypyrimidine kinase (TdR kinase A) of mouse, human, and chick mitochondria catalyzes the phosphorylation of both TdR and CdT. Three herpesviruses, marmoset herpesvirus and herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, induce in the cytosol fraction of LM(TK-) mouse cells isozymes which share common properties with mitochondrial TdR kinase A, including the ability to catalyze the phosphorylation of both TdR and CdR. However, the herpesvirus-induced deoxypyrimidine kinases differ from mitochondrial TdR kinase A with respect to sedimentation coefficient, sensitivity to dCTP inhibition, and antigenic determinants. The herpesvirus-specific and the mitochondrial deoxypyrimidine kinases exhibit a preference for TdR over CdR as nucleoside acceptor. Pseudorabies virus and herpesvirus of turkeys induce cytosol TdR kinases resembling the other herpesvirus-induced TdR kinases in several properties, but like cellular TdR kinase F, the pseudorabies virus and herpesvirus of turkeys TdR kinases lack detectable CdR phosphorylating activities. Finally, a marmoset herpesvirus nutant resistant to bromodeoxyuridine, equine herpesvirus type 1, and Herpesvirus aotus induces neither TdR nor CdR phosphorylating enzymes during productive infections.

Acquisition of chick cytosol thymidine kinase activity by thymidine kinase-deficient mouse fibroblast cells after fusion with chick erythrocytes.

Chick-mouse heterokaryons were obtained by UV-Sendai virus-induced fusion of chick erythrocytes with thymidine (dT) kinase-deficient mouse fibroblast [LM(TK(-))] cells. Autoradiographic studies demonstrated that 1 day after fusion, [(3)H]dT was incorporated into both red blood cell and LM(TK(-)) nuclei of 23% of the heterokaryons. Self-fused LM(TK(-)) cells failed to incorporate [(3)H]dT into nuclear DNA. 15 clonal lines of chick-mouse somatic cell hybrids [LM(TK(-))/CRB] were isolated from the heterokaryons by cultivating them in selective hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine-glycine medium. LM(TK(-)) and chick erythrocytes exhibited little, if any, cytosol dT kinase activity. In contrast, all 15 LM(TK(-))/CRB lines contained levels of cytosol dT kinase activity comparable to that found in chick embryo cells. Disk polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing analyses demonstrated that the LM(TK(-))/CRB cells contained chick cytosol, but not mouse cytosol dT kinase. The LM(TK(-))/CRB cells also contained mouse mitochondrial, but not chick mitochondrial dT kinase. Hence, the clonal lines were somatic cell hybrids and not LM(TK(-)) cell revertants. The experiments demonstrate that chick erythrocyte cytosol dT kinase can be activated in heterokaryons and in hybrid cells, most likely as a result of functions supplied by mouse fibroblast cells.