Germ line integration of Moloney leukemia virus: identification of the chromosomal integration site

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Apr;76(4):1938-42. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.4.1938.

Abstract

The chromosomal integration site of the structural gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) in the genome of BALB/Mo mice was mapped genetically. These mice transmit the exogenous M-MuLV as an endogenous virus at a single Mendelian locus. Two independent experimental approaches were used: (i) Non-virus-producing fibroblasts prepared from homozygous BALB/Mo embryos were fused to Chinese hamster Wg3-h-o cells. In an analysis of 30 independent mouse-Chinese hamster cell hybrid clones, the segregation of the viral genome measured by molecular hybridization and enzymes assigned to 16 different mouse chromosomes were compared. We found a highly concordant segregation of M-MuLV sequences and the mouse enzyme triosephosphate isomerase (TPI, EC 5.3.1.1), whose gene has been assigned to chromosome 6. A further karyotype analysis of 9 clones, in which the chromosomes were identified cytochemically, supported this result. (ii) The segregation of the viral genome was studied in backcrosses of BALB/Mo with ABP/J mice. In the backcross ABP/Jx(ABP/JxBALB/Mo) a linkage of the M-MuLV genome to the morphological marker wa-1 on mouse chromosome 6 was found. This confirmed the conclusion that the M-MuLV genome is integrated in mouse chromosome 6. These experiments define the genetic locus Mov-1, denoting the genetically transmitted structural gene of M-MuLV in BALB/Mo mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromosomes / physiology*
  • Clone Cells
  • Cricetinae
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Fibroblasts
  • Genes*
  • Genotype
  • Heterozygote
  • Hybrid Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Moloney murine leukemia virus / genetics*
  • Recombination, Genetic*