Transfer of anchorage independence by isolated metaphase chromosomes in hamster cells

Abstract

The cellular property of being able to grow on agar (aga +) or to show anchorage independence has been transferred by means of metaphase chromosomes from CHO cells to BHK and other permanent transformed hamster lines unable to grow on agar. As with other genetic markers, the transferents are unstable when grown under non-selective conditions. The aga + transferents are tumorigenic, providing further evidence for the association between the ability to grow in agar or anchorage independence and tumorigenicity. Evidence has been obtained in these experiments for the existence of at least two discrete events in the transformation of normal into tumorigenic cells. The ability to transfer and select for the aga + marker in recipient cells indicates that tumorigenicity behaves dominantly phenotypically.