Protein kinase activity associated with the avian sarcoma virus src gene product.

Incorporation of phosphorus from [gamma-32P]ATP into protein was catalyzed by specific immunoprecipitates from avian sarcoma virus (ASV)-transformed avian and mammalian cells. This incorporation was observed only when antiserum from tumor-bearing rabbits able to specifically precipitate the ASV sarcoma gene product, p60src, was used to immunoprecipitate antigens from transformed cell lysates. Immunoprecipitates of extracts from normal cells or cells infected with a transformation-defective ASV mutant showed no activity in this assay, nor did any immune complexes formed with normal rabbit serum and any of the cell extracts tested. The expression of the protein kinase activity (ATP:protein phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.37) was growth temperature-dependent in cells infected with an ASV mutant temperature-sensitive for the transformation. These results on an enzymatic activity associated with the ASV transforming protein are discussed in terms of protein phosphorylation as a mechanism for viral transformation.