James M R, Sarasin A R, Perricaudet M, Joab I
Institut de Recherches Scientifiques sur le Cancer, Villejuif, France.
Gene. 1990 Feb 14;86(2):233-9. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(90)90284-x.
Recently a small number of Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) genes, characteristically expressed in latently infected, growth-transformed B-lymphocytes, have been cloned and several have been transiently expressed by DNA transfection. Here we demonstrate production of stable human cell lines containing episomal EBV vectors and expressing EBV nuclear antigen 3 from the adenovirus major late promoter or the mouse metallothionein promoter, which retains metal-regulation in the episomal state. This system has proved useful in an analysis of the role of these and other EBV genes implicated in immortalization and/or oncogenic transformation of human cells.
