[Amplification of portions of the genome in the somatic cells of mammals resistant to colchicine. IV. Genetic transformation using amplified genes from Djungarian hamster cells highly resistant to colchicine].

DNA-mediated transfer of colchicine-resistance from Djungarian hamster DM5/7 cell line, 750-fold resistant to the drug, was studied. The resistance to colchicine of DM5/7 cells is due to amplification of the genes, possibly coding for the polypeptide p22. Both high-molecular weight DNA (presumably, chromosomal DNA) and low-molecular weight DNA (presumably, extrachromosomal DNA) effectively transferred the colchicine-resistance to Djungarian hamster and mouse cells. DNA of sensitive to colchicine but resistant to ouabain mouse cells CAK-143OuaR was not capable to transfer colchicine-resistance, but effectively transferred ouabain-resistance connected with a mutation in Na+/K+-dependent ATP-ase locus. The differences in genetic transformation with amplified p22 genes and mutant Na+/K+-dependent ATP-ase genes were revealed. All cells of 3 colchicine-resistant transformants of DM-15 cells and all 10 spontaneously derived resistant clones contain the additional chromosome 4. The role of trisomy 4 in the development of colchicine-resistance in DM-15 cells is discussed.