Non-transformed Strain Research Articles

Characterization of a novel developmentally regulated gene from Trypanosoma brucei encoding a potential phosphoprotein

We have isolated a cDNA clone corresponding to a single-copy nuclear gene that is up-regulated at the mRNA level during in vitro differentiation of bloodstream trypomastigotes of strains of both Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense to procyclic forms. Transcript levels begin to increase within minutes of introduction of bloodstream forms into culture and peak well before cultures exhibit a procyclic morphology. This increase in transcript levels was found to occur both in the absence of protein synthesis and in a nontransforming strain blocked very early in the developmental program, both conditions under which accumulation of procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) transcripts did not occur in control experiments. DNA sequence analysis reveals an open reading frame sufficient to encode a protein of approximately 50 kDa within the cDNA, but data base searches for homology at either the amino acid or nucleotide level revealed no related sequences. A high density of kinase consensus target sites in the deduced amino acid sequence suggests that the gene product may be a phosphoprotein.

An inducible gene expression system for Neurospora crassa

Neurospora crassa acetyl CoA synthetase is highly induced when the growing mycelium is transferred from sucrose- to acetate-based medium. The inducible promoter of this gene has been isolated and used to control the expression of glutamate dehydrogenase. Transformants containing this expression cassette show gdh levels up to 25 times higher than the nontransformed host strain. This expression cassette will form the basis of a system of heterologous gene expression.

Expression of the Blast-1 activation/adhesion molecule and its identification as CD48.

We have analyzed the induction and expression of Blast-1 at the mRNA and protein levels and demonstrated its identity with CD48. Blast-1/CD48 is expressed on a wider range of cell types, notably T cells and monocytes, than previously thought, but appears to be restricted to lymphoid and myeloid cells. Resting B and T cells express Blast-1/CD48 molecules at the cell surface; however, they lack the epitope recognized by the 17D6 mAb. Resting B cells express no detectable Blast-1/CD48 mRNA. Induction by EBV infection or stimulation with PMA, IL-4, or PHA results in increased levels of Blast-1/CD48 protein (both 6.28 and 17D6 epitopes) at the cell surface. Detailed analysis of EBV-induced expression revealed that it is due to increased steady-state levels of Blast-1/CD48 mRNA induced by transforming but not nontransforming strains of the virus. Induction by IL-1 beta, ionomycin, or suboptimal levels of PMA plus ionomycin results in increased expression of the 17D6 epitope only. In transfected Cos-7 cells Blast-1/CD48 at the cell surface expresses only the 6.28 epitope, whereas cytoplasmic molecules express both 17D6 and 6.28 epitopes. We suggest that these results are most consistent with the idea that Blast-1/CD48 molecules are complexed at the surface of resting cells and Cos-7 cells, resulting in masking of the 17D6 epitope. Activation causes dissociation of the complex, revealing the 17D6 epitope. The existence of 17D6+6.28- Blast-1/CD48 molecules was demonstrated by immunoprecipitation analysis, which also revealed that, unlike the rest of the molecules, this subset was resistant to digestion with glyosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C.

Lack of correlation between hypersensitivity to cell killing and impaired inhibition of DNA synthesis in ataxia telangiectasia fibroblasts treated with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide

Compared to normal controls from healthy subjects, cells cultured from patients with the autosomal recessive, cancer-prone disorder ataxia telangiectasia (AT) uniformly display impaired clonogenic survival, in concert with decreased inhibition of DNA synthesis, on exposure to ionizing radiation. In this study we have determined the effects of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO), a partially radiomimetic chemical carcinogen, on colony-forming ability and rate of DNA synthesis in non-transformed skin fibroblasts strains derived from clinically normal volunteers and AT patients. Strain AT3BI, belonging to AT complementation group A, displayed substantial hypersensitivity to the lethal action of 4NQO, whereas the survival response of strain AT5BI (group D) did not differ significantly from that of the three normal controls. The 4NQO-hypersensitive AT3BI cells exhibited normal inhibition of DNA synthesis when treated with the chemical, as manifested by both dose-response and time-course measurements. However, 4NQO treatment decreased the rate of DNA synthesis to a much lesser degree in AT5BI than in normal strains. Hence, our data demonstrate unequivocally that, unlike that universally observed following exposure of AT cells to ionizing radiation, carcinogen-resistant DNA synthesis does not segregate with elevated cytotoxicity when cultured fibroblasts representing at least some genetic forms of AT (i.e. groups A and D) are damaged by 4NQO.

DT-diaphorase activity and mitomycin C sensitivity in non-transformed cell strains derived from members of a cancer-prone family

Non-transformed skin fibroblasts derived from five members of a cancer-prone family and three unrelated healthy volunteers were assayed for their levels of activity of the quinone reductase DT-diaphorase and for their sensitivity to the antitumor quinone mitomycin C (MMC). Previous studies of skin fibroblasts derived from one afflicted member of this family (3437T) demonstrated increased resistance to MMC under aerobic exposure conditions and a reduced level of DT-diaphorase. In the present study 3437T cells and a cell strain derived from another afflicted member of the cancer-prone family were found to be hyperresistant to the cytotoxic effects of MMC, and demonstrated negligible DT-diaphorase activity (30 +/- 10 nmol/min/mg protein). Cell strains derived from the three other family members demonstrated intermediate DT-diaphorase activity (400-800 nmol/min/mg protein). Enzyme activities of 1800-6000 nmol/min/mg protein were measured in the three control cell strains. A protein that was reactive with a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against rat DT-diaphorase and corresponded to the known mol. wt of DT-diaphorase was clearly evident in the three control cell strains, but absent in the two MMC-hyperresistant cell strains. This protein was present in intermediate amounts in the remaining members of the cancer-prone family. Southern analysis of DNA isolated from all eight cell strains and restricted with EcoRI demonstrated the presence of a DNA sequence of approximately 15 kb which hybridized to a rat DT-diaphorase cDNA probe. Northern analysis revealed the presence of an RNA species approximately 1200 bp in size, consistent with that for a human DT-diaphorase mRNA, in all cell strains derived from family members. A post-transcriptional defect would, therefore, appear to be responsible for the decreased enzyme activity observed in the resistant cell strains. These results suggest a role for DT-diaphorase in MMC bioactivation and that reduced levels of the protein may be causally related to the cancer-prone tendency of this family.

Electroporation ofHaemophilus influenzaeis effective for transformation of plasmid but not chromosomal DNA

Electroporation of plasmid and chromosomal DNAs were tested in Haemophilus influenzae because of an interest in introducing DNA into mutants that are deficient in competence for transformation. The initial experiments were designed to investigate and optimize conditions for electroporation of H. influenzae. Plasmid DNA was introduced into the competence proficient strain Rd and its competence-deficient uptake mutants com-52, com-59, and com-88, and the recombination deficient mutant rec1. Plasmid DNA could also be electroporated into the non-transforming strains Ra, Rc, Re and Rf. Plasmid DNA without sequences that are involved in tight binding (uptake) of DNA by competent cells of H. influenzae Rd was electroporated into both competent and non-competent cells. Competent cells were several orders of magnitude less efficient than non-competent cells for electroporation of plasmid DNAs. Electroporation of H. influenzae chromosomal DNA was not successful. Low levels of integration of chromosomal markers were observed following electroporation and these could be ascribed to transformation. The treatment of cells with DNasel following electroporation separated the effects due to electroporation from those due to transformation. The DNasel treatment did not affect the efficiency of plasmid incorporation, but severely restricted effects due to natural DNA transformation.

Chronic fatigue. A prospective clinical and virologic study

To evaluate the clinical and virologic course of patients with chronic fatigue who had elevated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) titers, we prospectively followed up 26 patients with serial cultures for EBV in blood and saliva and serial EBV serologic and clinical and psychiatric evaluations, and we compared these results with those for healthy controls. The frequency of isolating EBV in blood or demonstrating EBV infection by in situ hybridization in blood lymphocytes or in saliva was similar in patients and controls. The prevalence and titers of antibody to human herpesvirus type 6 were also similar in the two populations. Patients with chronic fatigue did demonstrate higher in vitro natural killer activity and lower in vitro interleukin 2 production than controls, and patients had a high frequency of DSM-III depressive illness. Over 50% of patients with chronic fatigue improved over the course of follow-up. Improvement was not associated with any discernible change in titers of EBV proteins. No evidence of ongoing EBV infection with either transforming or nontransforming strains was demonstrated in this population of patients with chronic fatigue. Clinically, most patients gradually improve over time.

The Relationship between Radiosensitivity and Repair of Potentially Lethal Damage in Human Tumor Cell Lines with Implications for Radioresponsiveness

The relationship between intrinsic radiosensitivity and repair capacity was studied for 22 human tumor cell lines in vitro. The experimental material was taken from 19 published papers. Parameters from three radiobiological models were used to assess this relationship: the one-hit multitarget model (D0 and n), the linear-quadratic model (alpha and beta), and the mean inactivation dose (D). Data were obtained for cells in three stages: exponentially growing cells (exp), plateau-phase cells plated immediately after irradiation (ip), and plateau-phase cells plated after completion of PLD repair (dp). No significant difference was found between radiosensitivity of exp and ip cells. There was no correlation between repair capacity and intrinsic radiosensitivity assessed with plateau-phase cells plated immediately after irradiation. The correlation studies between intrinsic radiosensitivity or repair capacity and clinical responsiveness were achieved by assigning cell lines to one of three groups of decreasing in vivo radioresponsiveness: highly, medium, and poorly responsive. There was a significant correlation between radiosensitivity and radioresponsiveness, but no correlation between repair capacity and radioresponsiveness. The average repair capacity was about 0.6 Gy, in terms of D. Three parameters, the mean inactivation dose of exponentially growing cells, of plateau-phase cells plated immediately after irradiation, and of plateau-phase cells plated after completion of PLD repair, could be used equally to assess the relationship between in vitro data and radioresponsiveness. The present results are compared to those obtained in a similar study on a group of 48 nontransformed fibroblast cell strains.

Epstein--Barr virus receptor expression on human CD8+ (cytotoxic/suppressor) T lymphocytes

In 1977 we showed that cells of a human lymphocytic leukaemia-derived T line (Molt-4) have receptors for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). More recently, EBV-positive human T cell lymphomas have been recognized and human T cell lines containing the EBV genome have been established in vitro. To understand better the interaction of EBV with T cells, we decided to determine first whether human peripheral blood T lymphocytes express receptors for EBV. Using flow cytometry we examined the binding of both lymphocyte-transforming (B95-8) and non-transforming (P3HR-1) strains of EBV to T lymphocyte subpopulations, using a double labelling technique with T cell-specific phycoerythrinated monoclonal antibodies (Leu 2a) and fluoresceinated viral preparation. Our results suggest that, in general, about 50% of the CD8+ (or suppressor/cytotoxic) T cell subpopulation from both EBV-seropositive and -seronegative individuals can bind EBV. EBV receptor expression on these T cells was about 10 and 51 times less than that on Molt-4 and Raji (an EBV receptor-positive B cell line) cells, respectively. The specificity of this binding was demonstrated by the inhibition of attachment of viral preparations preincubated with a monoclonal antibody directed against the viral ligand (gp240/350), and by preincubating these target T cells with unlabelled virus. We were unable to detect EBV-induced antigens in infected T cells, suggesting that, as in Molt-4 cells, virus internalization may not occur in fresh T cells and/or that the virus receptor may not be completely functional. We were also unable to detect C3d (or CR2) receptors on these T cells, or to inhibit virus attachment by treating the targets with an anti-CR2 monoclonal antibody (OKB7), suggesting that the EBV receptor on CD8+ peripheral blood lymphocytes is different from that on B cells.

Ras‐Transformation of MDCK cells alters responses to phorbol ester without altering responses to bradykinin

The results of studies to evaluate the hypothesis that the 21 kDa GTP-binding protein derived from the ras oncogene is involved in regulation and coupling of hormone receptors to phospholipase activity have thus far been inconsistent. We therefore examined the effect of H-ras transformation on basal, tumor-promoting phorbol ester (TPA)-stimulated, and bradykinin-mediated phospholipid hydrolysis in Madin Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK) by comparing H-ras-transformed MDCK cells (MDCK-RAS) to two non-transformed strains of MDCK cells (MDCK-D1 and MDCK-ATCC). In unstimulated MDCK-RAS, diacylglycerol (DAG), inositol phosphate accumulation, and choline phosphate release were increased while arachidonic acid and arachidonic acid metabolite (AA) release was not increased, suggesting that ras transformation increased phospholipase C activity. Protein kinase C (PK-C) activity was decreased, and specific binding of [3H]phorbol ester was reduced in MDCK-RAS relative to the non-transformed MDCK cells suggesting that elevated DAG may activate and thereby down-regulate PK-C. Consistent with this finding in MDCK-RAS, TPA-stimulated AA release and subsequent prostaglandin E2 production were decreased, while TPA-stimulated choline phosphate release was increased. Bradykinin receptor-stimulated phospholipid hydrolysis in MDCK-RAS was similar to that of non-transformed cells, suggesting that the ras-derived protein does not directly couple bradykinin receptors to phospholipases in MDCK cells. However, the ability of TPA-treatment to inhibit bradykinin-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and enhance bradykinin-stimulated AA release was attenuated in MDCK-RAS. Additionally, in MDCK-RAS the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E2 was substantially reduced. We conclude that ras transformation of MDCK cells increases DAG levels, thereby activating and, in turn, down-regulating PK-C and certain responses to TPA. Since activation of PK-C may result in a variety of effects on signal transduction pathways, we propose that increased DAG and altered PK-C levels associated with ras transformation may account for the inconsistent effects previously observed in studies evaluating the effect of ras transformation on phospholipases and other signal transduction systems.

Epstein-Barr virus latent infection membrane protein increases vimentin expression in human B-cell lines

Latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection activates B-lymphocyte proliferation through mechanisms which are partially known. One approach to further delineate these mechanisms is to identify cellular genes whose expression is augmented in cells latently infected with EBV. Since EBV-negative Burkitt's lymphoma cells can be grown in continuous culture and EBV can establish growth-altering latent infection in these cells, some effects of EBV on B-lymphocyte gene expression can be studied by using this in vitro system. Pursuing this latter approach, we have used cDNA cloning and subtractive hybridization to identify a gene whose expression is increased after EBV infection. This gene encodes the cytoskeletal protein vimentin. Latent infection of established EBV-negative Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines with the transforming EBV strain, B95-8, resulted in dramatic increases in vimentin mRNA and protein levels, while infection with the nontransforming P3HR1 strain failed to do so. Vimentin induction was reproduced by the expression of the single EBV gene which encodes the latent infection membrane protein (LMP). An amino-terminal LMP deletion mutant did not induce vimentin. These results are of particular interest in light of the transforming potential of LMP, as demonstrated in rodent fibroblasts, and the interaction between vimentin and LMP observed in immunofluorescent colocalization and cell fractionation studies.

Reversion of tumorigenicity and decreased agarose clonability after EBV conversion of an IgH/myc translocation-carrying BL line.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL) line BL-41, and 5 independently established EBV-converted sublines, derived by infection with a transforming (B95-8) or a nontransforming (P3HR1) strain of EBV, were compared for clonability in semi-solid agarose and for tumorigenicity in immuno-suppressed mice. One P3HR1 viral convertant and 3 out of 4 B95-8 virus-converted sublines had a high (greater than 40%) agarose clonability, like the BL 41 parent, and were slightly more tumorigenic than BL-41. In contrast, the fourth B95-8 converted subline, BL-41/95, was virtually non-tumorigenic and its agarose clonability was much lower (3-23%). It showed a more drastic shift towards an LCL-like phenotype than the other convertants as reflected by high HLA class-I and EBV-encoded latent membrane protein (LMP) expression. BL 41/95 still contains the 8;14 IgH/myc translocation, carried by the parental line, and maintains the same relatively high steady-state level of c-myc mRNA and protein as the highly tumorigenic convertants. We conclude that the tumorigenicity of BL41/95 has been suppressed by a gene that acts at a level beyond the expression of the activated oncogene, in the same way as the revertants isolated from ras and SV-40-transformed cultures (Klein, 1987b; Bassin and Noda, 1987).

Activation and infection of B cells by Epstein-Barr virus. Role of calcium mobilization and of protein kinase C translocation.

Both the activation and the transformation of human B cells by EBV were inhibited by either the Ca2+ channel blocking agent verapamil or the combination of theophylline and dibutyryl cAMP: the day 4 and day 20 peaks of [3H]TdR incorporation were abolished; the EBNA marker was not expressed by day 10; lymphoblastoid cell lines did not arise. Short term incubation of B cells with EBV or verapamil showed that the effect of verapamil was reversible and took place early in the interaction between EBV and B cells. The effect of EBV on the early metabolic events of B cell response was thus examined in the presence and in the absence of the drugs. Compared to anti-mu stimulation, supernatant of the transforming B95-8 strain as well as that of the non-transforming P3HR1 strain induced a drug sensitive increase of the free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. This increase was associated with a protein kinase C translocation from the cytosol to a membrane bound compartment. Moreover, B95-8 supernatant induced phosphatidyl inositol metabolism by human B cells but at least four times less than that induced by anti-mu antibody. These metabolic events induced by EBV were significantly inhibited by anti-CD21 antibodies whereas anti-mu induced metabolic events were not. The infection of EBV negative Ramos cell line was prevented by verapamil or by theophylline + dibutyryl cAMP. Verapamil did not modify the density of EBV receptors but negatively interfered with the penetration of the virus into B cells. Thus B cell activation through the EBV receptor and virus penetration share a common metabolic pathway which is also used for transduction of the signal delivered through the membrane Ig.

Differences in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) receptors expression on various human lymphoid targets and their significance to EBV—cell interaction

This study was aimed at quantitating, by means of fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), EBV binding to different types of target cells, and at learning about a possible relation between EBV receptor density and the fate of cell-surface bound virus. We used fluoresceinated virus preparations of two strains of EBV (B95-8: lymphocyte transforming strain; P3HR-1: non-transforming strain) to analyze quantitatively the expression and density of EBV receptors on different human lymphoid cell lines and on B lymphocytes from both EBV-seropositive and -seronegative donors. FACS analysis was also used as a tool to approximate the cell surface area of the different lymphoid cells examined. Our results indicate that: (a) after accounting for the difference in cell surface dimensions, the fluorescence intensity of EBV-bound Raji (a B line) cells was three to four times higher per unit area than that of EBV-bound fresh B lymphocytes from an EBV-seropositive donor; (b) Molt-4 (a T line) cells bound about 21-fold less P3HR-1 EBV and 6-fold less B95-8 EBV than Raji cells per unit area; (c) B lymphocytes from EBV-seronegative adult donors bound only about one third as much virus as B cells from seropositive individuals; (d) two B lymphocyte sub-populations can be identified in the peripheral blood in regard to their ability to bind EBV, regardless of the EBV antibody status of the donor; (e) the EBV receptor on Molt-4 cells appears structurally different from the one found on Raji cells since EBV binding to Molt-4 cells was not blocked by a monoclonal antibody (OKB7) specific to the complement receptor (CR2). Further, in contrast to Raji cells, Molt-4 expressed a differential binding activity for each of the two EBV strains used. Taken together, the important differences observed in regard to EBV attachment to various targets also appear to relate to the fate of cell-surface bound virus: i.e., virus penetration might be determined, at least in part, by the density of EBV receptors on the target cell surface; thus the receptor density may play a major role in viral infection.

Antigenic variation in alkaline deoxyribonuclease induced by three different strains of Epstein‐Barr virus

To determine whether biological and/or biochemical variants exist between strains of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), we superinfected Raji cells with the nontransforming lytic strain of EBV (HR-1), and two isolates that both transform B-lymphocytes and superinfect Raji cells, B95-8, and NPC-EBV. The superinfected cells were assayed for EBV specific DNase. A new electrophoretic form of DNase was observed in cells superinfected with B95-8 EBV as compared to the enzymes induced by the HR-1 and NPC-EBV isolates. There were antigenic differences in the DNase induced by the EBV strains. Since antibody to EBV DNase is a marker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), these data may have implications for EBV-associated disease.

T-cell-mediated inhibition of EBV-induced B-cell transformation: recognition of virus particles.

In order to analyze the components of EBV-specific immunological memory that contribute to the T-cell-mediated inhibition of EBV-induced B-cell transformation, we have investigated the growth inhibitory potential of T cells cultured for 3 days with B cells exposed to transforming and non-transforming EBV preparations. T cells cultured for 3 days with EBV-infected autologous B cells inhibited the transformation of newly infected B lymphocytes. T cells cultured with the virus, with autologous uninfected B cells, or in the presence of 10 micrograms/ml Con-A had a significantly weaker inhibitory capacity. The inhibitory capacity was induced by co-cultivation with B cells infected with the transforming B95-8 virus strain, with the non-transforming P3HRI virus strain, and also with UV-inactivated B95-8 virus. B-cells infected with transforming B95-8 virus induced the strongest growth inhibitory activity. Activation of the T cells was shown by their IL-2 production, proliferation, and generation of non-specific cytotoxicity. These results suggest that the initial event of the T-cell response in EBV-infected cultures is induced by antigens associated with the viral particles presented by B lymphocytes.

Transforming viruses spontaneously arise from nontransforming reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T-derived viruses as a result of increased accumulation of spliced viral RNA.

The highly oncogenic avian retrovirus reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T (Rev-T) contains a substitution of the oncogene v-rel for much of env and a deletion of gag and pol relative to the helper virus Rev-A. Replacement of gag and pol sequences in Rev-T suppresses transformation by reducing the accumulation of spliced viral mRNA and v-rel protein in infected cells (C. K. Miller and H. M. Temin, J. Virol 58:75-80, 1986). After infection of spleen cells with viruses containing gag and pol sequences, revertant viruses that are strongly transforming were found. Approximately three-fourths of the revertant viruses appeared structurally the same as the parental virus, and approximately one-fourth of the revertant viruses had large deletions (similar in size and location to the deletion in Rev-T). Two revertant viruses that appeared structurally the same as the parental virus were molecularly cloned. The regions sufficient to change the parental virus to a strongly transforming virus were determined by construction of recombinant viruses. In one revertant virus, the region sufficient for transformation contained a 327-base-pair insertion 5' of the 3' splice site used by Rev-T. In the other revertant virus, the region sufficient for transformation contained a 1-base-pair transition and a deletion of one copy of a 9-base-pair direct repeat, both 3' of the 3' splice site used by Rev-T. These differences resulted in the accumulation of increased levels of subgenomic v-rel mRNA and protein, ultimately leading to transformation.

Different patterns of Epstein-Barr virus gene expression and of cytotoxic T-cell recognition in B-cell lines infected with transforming (B95.8) or nontransforming (P3HR1) virus strains.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cell lines have been converted to EBV genome positivity by in vitro infection with the transforming EBV strain B95.8 and with the nontransforming mutant strain P3HR1, which has a deletion in the gene encoding the nuclear antigen EBNA2. These B95.8- and P3HR1-converted lines have been compared for their patterns of expression of EBV latent genes (i.e., those viral genes constitutively expressed in all EBV-transformed lines of normal B-cell origin) and for their recognition by EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), in an effort to identify which latent gene products provide target antigens for the T-cell response. B95.8-converted lines on several different EBV-negative BL-cell backgrounds all showed detectable expression of the nuclear antigens EBNA1, EBNA2, and EBNA3 and of the latent membrane protein (LMP); such converts were also clearly recognized by EBV-specific CTL preparations with restriction through selected human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I antigens on the target cell surface. The corresponding P3HR1-converted lines (lacking an EBNA2 gene) expressed EBNA1 and EBNA3 but, surprisingly, showed no detectable LMP; furthermore, these converts were not recognized by EBV-specific CTLs. Such differences in T-cell recognition were not due to any differences in expression of the relevant HLA-restricting determinants between the two types of convert, as shown by binding of specific monoclonal antibodies and by the susceptibility of both B95.8 and P3HR1 converts to allospecific CTLs directed against these same HLA molecules. The results suggest that in the normal infectious cycle, EBNA2 may be required for subsequent expression of LMP and that both EBNA2 and LMP (but not EBNA1 or EBNA3) may provide target antigens for the EBV-specific T-cell response.

Initial Slope of Radiation Survival Curves Is Characteristic of the Origin of Primary and Established Cultures of Human Tumor Cells and Fibroblasts

The published survival curves of 110 human tumor cell lines and 147 nontransformed human fibroblast strains have been reanalyzed using three different statistical methods: the single hit multitarget model, the linear-quadratic model, and the mean inactivation dose. The 110 tumor cell lines were classified in two ways: (a) into three categories defined by clinical radiocurability criteria, and (b) into seven categories based on histopathology. The 147 fibroblast strains were divided into eight genetic groups. Differences in the radiosensitivities of both the tumor cell and fibroblast groups could be demonstrated only by parameters that describe the slopes of the initial part of the survival curves. The capacity of the survival level to identify significant differences between groups was dose dependent over the range 1 to 6 Gy. This relationship showed a bell-shaped curve with a maximum at 1.5 Gy for the tumor cell lines and 3 Gy for the fibroblasts. Values for intrinsic radiosensitivity for a number of groups of tumors have also been obtained by primary culture of tumor cells. These values are strictly comparable to those obtained by clonogenic methods. This confirms that intrinsic radiosensitivity is a determinant of the response of tumor cells to radiotherapy and suggests that tissue culture methods may be used as a predictive assay.

GAL4 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae activates the lactose-galactose regulon of Kluyveromyces lactis and creates a new phenotype: glucose repression of the regulon.

A Kluyveromyces lactis mutant defective in lac9 cannot induce beta-galactosidase or galactokinase activity and is unable to grow on lactose or galactose. When this strain was transformed with the GAL4 positive regulatory gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae it was able to grow on lactose or galactose as the sole carbon source. Transformants bearing GAL4 exhibited a 4.5-h generation time on galactose or lactose, versus 24 h for the nontransformed lac9 strain. A K. lactis lac9 strain bearing two integrated copies of GAL4 showed 3.5-fold induction of beta-galactosidase activity and 1.8-fold induction of galactokinase activity compared with 15.6-fold and 4.4-fold induction, respectively, for the LAC9 wild-type strain. In transformants bearing 10 integrated copies of GAL4, the induced level of beta-galactosidase was nearly as high as in the LAC9 wild-type strain. In addition to restoring lactose and galactose gene expression, GAL4 in K. lactis lac9 mutant cells conferred a new phenotype, severe glucose repression of lactose and galactose-inducible enzymes. Glucose repressed beta-galactosidase activity 35- to 74-fold and galactokinase activity 14- to 31-fold in GAL4 transformants, compared with the 2-fold glucose repression exhibited in the LAC9 wild-type strain. The S. cerevisiae MEL1 gene was repressed fourfold by glucose in LAC9 cells. In contrast, the MEL1 gene in a GAL4 lac9 strain was repressed 20-fold by glucose. These results indicate that the GAL4 and LAC9 proteins activate transcription in a similar manner. However, either the LAC9 or GAL4 gene or a product of these genes responds differently to glucose in K. lactis.