2-amino-isobutyric acid and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose transport in 3T3, SV 40-transformed 3T3 and revertant cell lines.

In order to further investigate the connection between transport and growth control, 3T3 cells, SV40 transformed 3T3 cells (SV101), and three revertant cell lines derived from SV101 which have regained certain manifestations of growth control were used. Transport rates of 2-amino-isobutyric acid and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose were measured in sparse, confluent, serum-starved, and serum-stimulated cultures. As shown before, cessation of 3T3 cell growth in G0 under conditions of confluence or serum deprivation was associated with reduced rates of transport for both compounds, whereas the density and serum dependence of growth and transport was largely eliminated in SV101. The density revertant F1SV101, which has regained density regulation of growth similar to 3T3 cells, has also regained density regulation of transport. Neither growth nor transport were serum dependent. The serum revertants AgammaSV7 and LsSV6 have regained both density and serum regulation of growth, but not according to the original mechanism of 3T3 cells of entry into a Go state. Transport was high under conditions of confluence or serum deprivation. Thus for these cells rates of transport were not reduced simply as a consequences of slower cell growth nor were low transport rates responsible for growth arrest. The data are consistent with the possibility that growth arrest specifically in the G0 state could shut off a number of cellular activities, including transport.