Chromosomal aberrations induced by an animal virus.

Abstract

This article describes the effects of herpes simplex virus on the cytology of chromosomes in a line of Chinese hamster cells in tissue culture. The cell line used MCH appeared spontaneously in a bottle seeded with a normal 23-chromosome line of Chinese hamster cells. No cellular proliferation had been evident for 8 days after seeding and the culture was trypsinized and passaged to several T-flasks since healthy cells appeared to be present. Slow proliferation of the passaged cells was noticed during several days and the cells have been maintained for 30 passages. In comparison with chromosomes of normal Chinese hamster cells the unique characteristic of the MCH line is the presence of a marker chromosome not previously seen and which is found in all cells regardless of chromosome number. This study confirms previous demonstrations that normal Chinese hamster cells are not susceptible to infection by herpes simplex virus. When the MCH line is inoculated with this agent no cytopathic effect is observed nor do characteristic intranuclear inclusions develop but chromosomal aberrations are seen during the 1st cell division following infection.