1973•Journal of VirologyOpen access
Studies on the Nucleic Acid Sequences of Kirsten Sarcoma Virus: a Model for Formation of a Mammalian RNA-Containing Sarcoma Virus
Edward M. Scolnick, Elaine Rands, D. R. Williams, Wade P. Parks
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Abstract
The genetic information contained in the Kirsten and Moloney strains of mammalian RNA-containing sarcoma viruses has been analyzed by RNA . (3)H-DNA hybridization. Kirsten sarcoma virus has been found to possess two distinct sets of nucleic acid sequences. One set of sequences is contained in murine type C helper virus, and the other set is contained in rat type C helper virus. Moloney sarcoma virus contains sequences of murine type C helper virus but not of rat type C helper virus. The results indicate that Kirsten sarcoma virus arose through a process of recombination between Kirsten murine leukemia virus and nucleic acid sequences found in rat cells. A model is suggested for the formation of transforming type C viruses involving the transduction of oncogenic information.