Bacterial beta-galactosidase as a marker of Rous sarcoma virus gene expression and replication.

We have developed a convenient and sensitive assay of eucaryotic gene expression which uses the Escherichia coli lacZ gene product, beta-galactosidase, as a nonselectable marker. This system has been applied to the analysis of Rous sarcoma virus replication and gene expression. Avian cells were transfected with plasmids encoding in-frame gene fusions of the N-terminal portion of the gag gene to a 'lacZ gene, which requires both transcriptional and translational initiation signals; these were supplied by the virus long terminal repeat and leader region. Readily detectable quantities of beta-galactosidase were synthesized in transfected cells; it was demonstrated that the levels of enzyme activity induced in such cultures increased linearly with the input DNA concentration and also correlated with mRNA levels. By using a Rous sarcoma virus-derived vector containing the src gene and a related virus as a helper, it was shown that lac sequences were compatible with all phases of the virus life cycle. gag-lacZ fusion proteins were immunoprecipitable from cultures which stably expressed lacZ as well as src. Virus rescued from stably transfected cultures resulted in continued lac and src expression in recipient cells. One particular construction was efficiently transmitted as virus, although it lacked sequences thought to be important for encapsidation of RNA into virions. The data presented here demonstrate the use of lacZ as a marker of retrovirus gene expression and replication.