Appearance of Marked DNA-Degrading and Thymine Catabolic Activities in a Human Cell Infected with a Transmissible Agent.

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Abstract
Following infection by a transmissible cytopathic agent and with the appearance of degeneration, the following were regularly observed for thymidine-2-C14 labelled human liver cultures: 1. progressive increase in quantity of C14O2 liberated, 2progressive increase in radioactivity of the acid soluble fractions, and 3. progressive decrease in radioactivity of the acid insoluble fractions. Similar changes had not been demonstrated in uninfected culture, culture killed by freezing or by nutrient depleting, and cultures infected with vaccinia, adeno 3, herpes simplex, polio 1, or Coxsackie Bl viruses. Significant conversion of acid insoluble to acid soluble radioactive compounds was repeatedly demonstrated in uridine-2-Cl4 labelled liver cultures under all the described experimental conditions leading to cell degeneration. Formation of C14O2 from uracil-2-C14 or uridine-2-C14 was, however, restricted to cultures treated with this DNA-degrading agent.