RECENT ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF VIRAL ONCOGENESIS
Abstract
IAN MACPHERSON B.Sc. Ph.D. Medical Research Council Experimental Virus Research Unit University of Glasgow 1 General characteristics of tumour viruses 2 Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and avian leucosis viruses a Transformation in vitro by RSV b Defective RSV c Reversion in RSV-transformed cells d The role of deoxyribonucleic-acid (DNA) synthesis in RSV infection 3 Murine sarcoma virus 4 Polyoma, SV40 and adenoviruses a Transformation in vitro by polyoma virus b Transformation in vitro by SV40 c Stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis by polyoma virus and SV40 d Specific antigens produced by oncogenic DNA viruses e Interactions between adenoviruses and SV40 5 Theories of viral oncogenesis References The study of viral oncogenesis has been stimulated in the last few years by the discovery of many new oncogenic viruses and by the development of in-vitro techniques for the investigation of cell transformation by these viruses. In several systems the early events of neoplastic transformation of cells by viruses are amenable to study with a precision and control not attainable with animals, or in experimental systems with chemical carcinogens. Much of our present knowledge of the basic interactions of oncogenic viruses with the cells they transform comes from model systems in