Persistence of transcription of the human beta-globin gene in hybrids between transfected F9 embryonal carcinoma and L cells.

Extinction of the phenotypic properties of the embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell parent is always observed in hybrids between EC cells and L fibroblasts. On the other hand, human beta-globin genes can be expressed when recombined to EC cell genome. We wanted to examine whether this ectopic expression would be extinguished when phenotypic changes are induced by cell hybridization. F9 transformants carrying the human beta-globin gene were hybridized with L fibroblasts. Human beta-globin transcripts were found in the two hybrid cell lines examined. Thus, the human beta-globin genes escaped extinction and behaved as genes involved in housekeeping functions.