Nucleotide sequence to the v-myc oncogene of avian retrovirus MC29

Abstract

Avian myelocytomatosis viruses are retroviruses whose oncogene (v-myc) induces an unusually wide variety of tumors, including carcinomas, endotheliomas, sarcomas, and myelocytomatoses. The viral gene v-myc arose by transduction of an undetermined portion of a cellular gene known as c-myc. In order to facilitate further studies of the functions of v-myc and c-myc and to permit detailed comparisons between the two genes, we have determined the nucleotide sequence of v-myc in the genome of the MC29 strain of myelocytomatosis virus. The v-myc domain in MC29 virus encodes a hydrophilic polypeptide with a molecular weight of 47,000, fused to a portion of the polyprotein encoded by the viral structural gene gag. The carboxyl-terminal half of the v-myc polypeptide is rich in basic amino acid residues. This feature may account for the DNA-binding properties of the hybrid gag-myc-encoded protein which would have a molecular weight of approximately 100,000, in accord with results from previous studies of the protein encoded by v-myc. The junctions between v-myc and the genome of the transducing virus are apparent but reveal no clues to the mechanism by which transduction might occur.