Content and expression of integrated viral DNA in hamster cells transformed by nondefective adenovirus type 2- simian virus 40 hybrid viruses.

Hamster cells transformed by adenovirus 2 (Ad2) and five nondefective Ad2-simian virus 40 (SV40) hybrid viruses are all of the Ad2-transformed phenotype. All lines accumulate Ad2 RNA and Ad2 T antigen; two hybrid-transformed lines accumulate SV40 RNA, but only one contains detectable amounts of SV40 antigens. We examines selected lines from this group of transformed hamster cells for Ad2 DNA content and viral RNA expression by using hydroxyapatite chromatography and separated strands of labeled viral DNA as probes. All lines studies contain 1 to 2 Ad2 genome equivalents per haploid equivalent of cell DNA. The expression of Ad2 RNA exhibits two distinct patterns. In one pattern, transcription of the heavy strand of Ad2 DNA is less than that of the light strand, whereas in the second pattern of Ad2 RNA expression the extent of heavy-strand transcription is greatly increased. In the two lines containing SV40 RNA, the entire SV40 (-) strand is transcribed; the (+) strand is not expressed in these cells. These patterns of viral RNA expression suggest the possibility that host promoters may play a role in regulating transcription of integrated viral DNA.