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Science 7 January 1972:
Vol. 175. no. 4017, pp. 76 - 78
DOI: 10.1126/science.175.4017.76
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Articles

DNA of Rous Sarcoma Virus: Its Nature and Significance

Warren E. Levinson 1, Harold E. Varmus 1, Axel-Claude Garapin 1, and J. Michael Bishop 1

1 Department of Microbiology, University of California, San Francisco 94122

Purified preparations of Rous sarcoma virus (an avian tumor virus with an RNA genome) contain small amounts of double-stranded DNA. This DNA cannot be hybridized to viral RNA, but will reanneal completely with the DNA of avian cells. Extensive substitution of bromodeoxyuridine for thymidine in "viral" DNA does not photosensitize the biological activity of the virus. These observations indicate that the DNA associated with Rous sarcoma virus is derived from the DNA of the avian host cell, and is probably devoid of any function in the life cycle of the virus.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)