Molecular cloning of the hamster papovavirus genome in Escherichia coli plasmid vector pBR322.

The complete genome of the hamster papovavirus (HaPV) which was isolated from virions found in multiple skin tumors of Syrian hamsters was cloned in Escherichia coli using the plasmid vector pBR322. The cloned viral DNAs were identified by digestion of the recombinant DNAs with various restriction enzymes followed by comparison of their electrophoretic mobilities in agarose gels with that of similarly digested uncloned DNAs. The cloned HaPV DNAs showed the same migration pattern as the corresponding fragments from the restricted uncloned DNAs, indicating that no major insertions or deletions occurred during cloning and plasmid propagation. The electrophoretic data were confirmed by Southern blot hybridization.