A cell-free mammalian protein-synthesizing system stimulated by RNA from avian myeloblastosis virus.

Carcinoma cells, oncornavirus-infected cells and fetal bovine tissue provide salt wash ribosomal factors capable of responding to avian myeloblastosis virus (AM virus)-RNA and stimulating the incorporation of amino acids into proteins as well as catalyzing the binding of N-acetylated (35S) methionyl-tRNA. The exogenously dependent amino acid incorporation system is stimulated by the high molecular weight species of AM virus-RNA only, particularly the fraction containing polyadenylate (poly(A)) residues; the system is also markedly inhibited by the low molecular weight AM virus-RNA species. Activity for the exogenous system displays very definite divalent/monovalent cation optima and requires the presence of mammalian transfer RNA.