Transfection of Chicken Fibroblasts with Single Exposure to DNA from Virogenic Mammalian Cells

Abstract

SUMMARY The efficiency of the transfection of chicken fibroblasts with a single dose (1.5 to 150 µg) of DNA isolated from virogenic RSV (Prague strain) transformed XC cells was increased if chicken fibroblasts were pre-treated with BUdR. Mitomycin or u.v. irradiation in doses used were not efficient. The repeated attempts to transfect duck fibroblasts, not containing activable endogenous chicken virus genome or group-specific antigen, always failed. Both DNA isolated from purified nuclei and whole virogenic cells exerted the same transfecting activity. Transfecting activity was present in the peak fractions obtained after CsCl gradient sedimentation of DNA obtained from virogenic cells, was absent in RNA preparations and after digestion of DNA with DNase or alkaline denaturation. This indicates that DNA is responsible for transfection. The role of endogenous virus genomes in transfection is discussed.