A detailed genetic analysis of the late complementation groups of simian virus 40.

A simple mixed-plaque assay procedure for determining complementation between pairs of SV40 mutants is described. Since the data obtained can be quantified with respect to both the relative numbers and sizes of plaques, this method is less likely than other complementation assay procedures to yield false-positive results and gives some indication as to the efficiency of the complementation. This quantitative assay procedure, which works with both viral DNA and virions, was used to examine the complementation properties of a variety of late region temperature-sensitive and deletion mutants of SV40. Conclusions reached from these studies included (i) the complementation observed between tsB and tsC mutants is definitely intragenic; (ii) D mutants define a true complementation group; (iii) sequences within the last 68 carboxyl-terminal amino acids of VP-3 are necessary for expression of the D function; and (iv) when linked to the last 19 carboxyl-terminal amino acids of VP-1, the first 136 amino-terminal amino acids of VP-2 are sufficient for expression of the E function. Lastly, the collection of deletion mutants described here may be useful in identifying both structural and regulatory functions of the virion proteins and in analyzing some aspects of viral mRNA biogenesis.