Transcription of Epstein-Barr virus genomes in human lymphoblastoid cells and in somatic-cell hybrids of Burkitt's lymphoma.

Expression of latent Epstein-Barr virus genomes in lymphoblastoid cells and somatic-cell hybrid of Burkitt's lymphoblastoid cells has been studied. IUDR treatment induced the formation of early antigen (EA), virus capsid antigen (VCA) and virus DNA replication in D98/Raji and D98/HR-1 cells whereas only EA was induced in Raji cells. HR-1 clone No. 9 did not respond to IUDR treatment. The pattern of transcription of virus genomes in these cell lines without IUDR treatment was uniform with 20--25% of virus DNA transcribed. IUDR treatment enhanced the transcription of virus DNA to 50% in D98/Raji, D98/HR-1 and Raji cells but no enhancement of virus genome transcription was observed in HR-1 clone No. 9 The amount of virus RNA in the cells calculated from DNA-RNA hybridization kinetics was found to be proportional to the number of virus genomes per cell indicating that every copy of virus DNA in these cells is actively transcribed.