Anatomy of the RNA and gene products of MC29 and MH2, two defective avian tumor viruses causing acute leukemia and carcinoma: evidence for a new class of transforming genes.

The RNA species of the defective avian acute leukemia virus MC29 and of the defective avian carcinoma virus MH2 and of their helper viruses were analyzed using gel electrophoresis, fingerprinting of RNase T1-resistant oligonucleotides, RNA-cDNA hybridization and in vitro translation. A28S RNA species, of 5700 nucleotides, was identified as MC29- or MH2-specific. MC29 RNA shared 4 out of about 17 and MH2 RNA at least 1 out of 16 T1-oligonucleotides with several other avain tumor virus RNAs. In addition MC29 and MH2 RNAs shared 2 oligonucleotides which were not found in any other viral RNA tested. 60% of each 28S RNA could be hybridized by DNA complementary to other avian tumor virus RNAs (group-specific) but 40% could only be hybridized by homologous cDNA (specific). Src gene-related sequences of Rous sarcoma virus were not found in MC29 or MH2 RNA. The specific and group-specific sequences of MC29, defined in terms of their T1-oligonucleotides, were located on a map of all T1-oligonucleotides of viral RNA. Specific sequences mapped between 0,4 and 0,7 map units from the 3'poly(A) end and group-specific sequences mapped between 0 and 0,4 and 0,7 and 1 map units. The MC29-specific RNA segment was represented by 6 oligonucleotides, two of which were those shared only by MC29 and MH2 RNAs. In vitro translation of MC29 RNA generated a major 120 000 dalton protein and minor 56 000 and 37 000 dalton proteins. The 120 000 dalton protein shared sequences with the proteins of the avian tumor viral gag gene, which maps at the 5' end of independently replicating viruses. Since a gag gene-related oligonucleotide was also found near the 5' end of MC29 RNA, we propose that the 120 000 MC29 protein was translated from the 5' 60% of MC29 RNA. It would then include sequences of the defective gag gene as well as MC29-specific sequences. Since both MC29 and MH2 lack the src (sarcoma) gene of Rous sarcoma virusk it is concluded that they contain a distinct class of transforming (onc) genes. We propose that the specific sequences of MC29 and MH2 represent all, or part of, their onc genes because the onc genes of MC29 and MH2 are specific and represent the only known genetic function of these viruses. If this proposal is correct, the onc genes of MC29 and MH2 would be related, because the specific RNA sequence of MC29 shares 2 of 6 oligonucleotides with MH2. It would also follow that the 120 000 dalton MC29 protein is a probable onc gene product, because it is translated from MC29-specific (and group-specific) sequences and because both MC29- and MH2-transformed cells contain specific 120 000 and 100 000 dalton proteins, respectively.