A mammalian cell mutant with temperature-sensitive thymidine kinase.

We have isolated a mutant clone from mouse FM3A cells with temperature-sensitive defects both in cytokinesis and in thymidine kinase enzyme activity. The clone, designated tsCl.B59, was isolated after mutagenesis at 33 degrees C followed by exposure to cytosine arabinoside at 39 degrees C. It was derived from a thymidine kinase deficient, 5-bromodeoxyuridine-resistant clone (S-BUCl.42) which was originally derived from wild-type clone H-5 of FM3A cells. The temperature-sensitive mutant clone grows normally at 33 degrees C, but not at 39 degrees C, where it exhibits an increased frequency of multinucleate cells due to defective cytokinesis. Unlike the parental S-BUCl.42 cells, which have negligible thymidine kinase activity and are unable to incorporate 3H-thymidine, the mutant in corporates substantial amounts of 3H-thymidine at 33 degrees C, although its thymidine kinase activity remains lower than that of wild-type H-5 cells. When cultures of tsCl.B59 cells are transferred to 39 degrees C, incorporation of 3H-thymidine decreases markedly. The decrease has been shown to be due to thermolability of the thymidine kinase in tsCl.B59 cells.