Amino acid substitutions sufficient to convert the nontransforming p60c-src protein to a transforming protein

Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Dec;6(12):4155-60. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.12.4155-4160.1986.

Abstract

We have previously shown that Rous sarcoma virus variants that carry the cellular homolog (c-src) of the viral src gene (v-src) do not transform chicken embryo fibroblasts. We also have shown that replacement of sequences upstream or downstream from the BglI site of the cellular src gene with the corresponding regions of v-src restored transforming activity to the hybrid genes. Since there are only six amino acid changes between p60c-src and p60v-src within the sequences upstream from BglI, we constructed chimeric molecules involving v-src and c-src to determine the effect of each amino acid substitution on the biological activities of the gene product. We found that the change from Thr to Ile at position 338 or the replacement of a fragment of c-src containing Gly-63, Arg-95, and Thr-96 with a corresponding fragment of v-src containing Asp-63, Trp-95, and Ile-96 converted p60c-src into a transforming protein by the criteria of focus formation, anchorage-independent growth, and tumor formation in newborn chickens. These mutations also resulted in elevation of the protein kinase activity of p60c-src.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Avian Sarcoma Viruses / genetics*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic*
  • Chick Embryo
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Genes*
  • Genes, Viral*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Plasmids
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src)

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Protein Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src)