UNLABELLED: Transformation of rodent cells with avian Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) opened new ways to studying virus integration and expression in nonpermissive cells. We were interested in (i) the molecular changes accompanying fusion of RSV-transformed mammalian cells with avian cells leading to virus rescue and (ii) enhancement of this process by retroviral gene products. The RSV-transformed hamster RSCh cell line was characterized as producing only a marginal amount of env mRNA, no envelope glycoprotein, and a small amount of unprocessed Gag protein. Egress of viral unspliced genomic RNA from the nucleus was hampered, and its stability decreased. Cell fusion of the chicken DF-1 cell line with RSCh cells led to production of env mRNA, envelope glycoprotein, and processed Gag and virus-like particle formation. Proteosynthesis inhibition in DF-1 cells suppressed steps leading to virus rescue. Furthermore, new aberrantly spliced env mRNA species were found in the RSCh cells. Finally, we demonstrated that virus rescue efficiency can be significantly increased by complementation with the env gene and the highly expressed gag gene and can be increased the most by a helper virus infection. In summary, Env and Gag synthesis is increased after RSV-transformed hamster cell fusion with chicken fibroblasts, and both proteins provided in trans enhance RSV rescue. We conclude that the chicken fibroblast yields some factor(s) needed for RSV replication, particularly Env and Gag synthesis, in nonpermissive rodent cells. IMPORTANCE: One of the important issues in retrovirus heterotransmission is related to cellular factors that prevent virus replication. Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), a member of the avian sarcoma and leukosis family of retroviruses, is able to infect and transform mammalian cells; however, such transformed cells do not produce infectious virus particles. Using the well-defined model of RSV-transformed rodent cells, we established that the lack of virus replication is due to the absence of chicken factor(s), which can be supplemented by cell fusion. Cell fusion with permissive chicken cells led to an increase in RNA splicing and nuclear export of specific viral mRNAs, as well as synthesis of respective viral proteins and production of virus-like particles. RSV rescue by cell fusion can be potentiated by in trans expression of viral genes in chicken cells. We conclude that rodent cells lack some chicken factor(s) required for proper viral RNA processing and viral protein synthesis.

• MeSH
• fúze buněk MeSH
• genové produkty env genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• genové produkty gag genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• křečci praví MeSH
• kur domácí MeSH
• nemoci drůbeže virologie   MeSH
• ptačí sarkom virologie   MeSH
• testy genetické komplementace MeSH
• transformované buněčné linie MeSH
• virová transformace buněk MeSH
• virus Rousova sarkomu genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• křečci praví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• genové produkty env MeSH
• genové produkty gag MeSH

CpG islands are important in the protection of adjacent housekeeping genes from de novo DNA methylation and for keeping them in a transcriptionally active state. However, little is known about their capacity to protect heterologous genes and assure position-independent transcription of adjacent transgenes or retroviral vectors. To tackle this question, we have used the mouse aprt CpG island to flank a Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-derived reporter vector and followed the transcriptional activity of integrated vectors. RSV is an avian retrovirus which does not replicate in mammalian cells because of several blocks at all levels of the replication cycle. Here we show that our RSV-derived reporter proviruses linked to the mouse aprt gene CpG island remain undermethylated and keep their transcriptional activity after stable transfection into both avian and nonpermissive mammalian cells. This effect is most likely caused by the protection from de novo methylation provided by the CpG island and not by enhancement of the promoter strength. Our results are consistent with previous finding of CpG islands in proximity to active but not inactive proviruses and support further investigation of the protection of the gene transfer vectors from DNA methylation.

• MeSH
• adeninfosforibosyltransferasa genetika   MeSH
• buněčné linie virologie   MeSH
• CpG ostrůvky * MeSH
• defektní viry genetika   MeSH
• DNA virů chemie   genetika   MeSH
• DNA-(cytosin-5-)methyltransferasa metabolismus   MeSH
• experimentální sarkom genetika   virologie   MeSH
• fibroblasty virologie   MeSH
• genetická transkripce * MeSH
• genetické vektory genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• integrace viru MeSH
• koncové repetice MeSH
• křečci praví MeSH
• křeček rodu Mesocricetus MeSH
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• metylace DNA MeSH
• myši MeSH
• proviry genetika   MeSH
• regulace exprese virových genů * MeSH
• replikace viru MeSH
• reportérové geny MeSH
• umlčování genů * MeSH
• viry ptačího sarkomu genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• křečci praví MeSH
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• adeninfosforibosyltransferasa MeSH
• DNA virů MeSH
• DNA-(cytosin-5-)methyltransferasa MeSH