Characterization of a mutant mouse lymphoma cell with deficient transport of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides.

A clone (AE1) of cells resistant to adenosine cytotoxicity was isolated from a mutagenized population of mouse T-lymphoma (S49) cells. These adenosine-resistant cells cannot transport adenosine or any other purine or pyrimidine nucleoside tested, but their transport of purine bases is intact. The AE1 cells also have an impaired ability to salvage thymidine. Kinetic analyses of the uptake of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides further substantiate the evidence that the facilitated transport of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides in S49 cells is mediated by the same carrier. Growth rate and transport studies indicate that the lack of expression of the nucleoside transport in AE1 cells is recessive in intraspecies cell-cell hybrids.