Biochemical Transformation of Mouse Cells by a Purified Fragment of Marmoset Herpesvirus DNA

Abstract
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 Bam HI restriction fragment (6.2 × 106 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.