A radiological study of cell-virus interaction in the Rous sarcoma.

Abstract

Abstract Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are in activated exponentially by X-rays and ultraviolet (UV) light. While both viruses are similar in their sensitivity to X-rays, RSV is about ten times more resistant to UV light than is NDV. The capacity of chick fibroblasts to initiate the growth of RSV is as sensitive to inactivation by both X-rays and UV light as is their ability to divide and form colonies, while their capacity to initiate the growth of NDV is many times more radioresistant. A common radiosensitive target controls the ability of cells to divide and to initiate the production of RSV. Once the cells have started to produce virus, they may upon irradiation lose their ability to divide and yet continue to produce virus. The results suggest that the genome of the Rous sarcoma virus must be integrated with that of the cell before virus production can begin.