Evidence that Reverse Transcriptase Is a Component of Murine Epididymal Fluid

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Abstract
The sperm-free fluid fraction of epididymal semen obtained from males of 4 mouse strains contained a DNA polymerase activity with properties of murine retrovirus reverse transcriptase (RT). Epididymal fluids from 2 of the strains of mice, NIH Swiss and New Zealand Black (NZB), had an order of magnitude more enzyme activity per .mu.g of protein than did the fluids of C57Bl/6 and Balb/c males. Most of the enzyme activity in the Swiss and NZB males, but not in the C57Bl/6 and Balb/c males, banded in isopycnic sucrose gradients at the buoyant density of retrovirus particles. The males were fertile and free of tumor or other detectable disease, up to 17 mo. of age. RT activity is ubiquitous in the male reproductive tract of mice and may or may not be associated with virus particles.

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