Rhesus monkeys kidney cells persistently infected with Simian Virus 40: production of defective interfering virus and acquisition of the transformed phenotype.

Monolayer cultures of LLC-MK2 rhesus monkey kidney cells became persistently infected with simian virus 40 (SV40) when infected at a multiplicity of infection of 100 plaque-forming units/cell. A stable carrier state developed characterized by extensive viral proliferation without obvious cytopathic effect other than the slow growth of these cultures. By 11 weeks all cells produced the SV40 T antigen. In contrast, less than 5% of the cells produced V antigen. Virus-free clonal isolates were obtained by cloning in SV40 antiserum. Continuous cultivation in antiserum resulted in a temporary cure of unclone cultures. When virus did eventually reappear in the "cured" cultures the titers remained low. The virus produced by the carrier culture was defective at both 31 and 37% c, and it interfered with the growth of standard s40 during mixed infection of CV-1 green monkey kidney cells. All of the interfering activity in carrier culture homogenates could be sedimented by centrifugation at 109,000 x g for 3 h. These cultures were completely susceptible to vesicular stomatitis virus. Extensive viral deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis occurred in CV-1 cells infected with carrier culture virus. Carrier culture homogenates are only slightly less cytopathic to CV-1 cells than standard SV40. The carrier culture express several properties of SV40 transformation.