[Chinese hamster cells mutant for the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase locus. IV. The biochemical characteristics of the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase of hybrid clones obtained by intragenic complementation].

A biochemical study of hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) has been carried out in hybrid clones of Chinese hamster cells obtained in complementation experiments. A wide range of biochemical characteristics made it possible to identify a hybrid form of HPRT differing from the enzyme of parental clones in virtually every hybrid tested. The presence of hybrid HPRT was detected by the changed kinetic properties of temperature sensitivity and electrophoretic mobility compared to the enzyme in mutant cells. Since HPRT consists of identical subunits, the hybrid nature of the enzyme in cells obtained through hybridization of HPRT-mutant clones may be regarded as evidence for intragenic complementation. None of the hybrid clones contained an enzyme with the normal properties. Groups of hybrids with similar biochemical characteristics of HPRT can be obtained, if one of the mutant partners involved in hybridization belongs to one and the same complementation group; the major characteristics of hybrid HPRT are then determined by the partner having the higher level of enzyme activity. The series of studies of intragenic complementation in the HPRT gene is summarized.