The erbB gene of avian erythroblastosis virus is a member of the src gene family

Abstract

The erbB gene of an avian erythroblastosis virus, AEV-H, was determined to be 1812 nucleotides long and was predicted to code for a protein of 67,638 daltons. Unexpectedly, a sequence of 285 amino acids in the middle of the protein showed a significant homology (38%) with the sequence in the carboxy terminus of p60src. The nucleotide sequence of a mutant of AEV-H, td-130, which induces sarcomas but not erythroblastosis in chicken, was also analyzed. A deletion of 169 nucleotides was identified in the 3' half of the erbB gene, indicating that the gene codes for a truncated protein with the predicted molecular weight of 46,667. These findings suggest that the homologous domain of erbB protein with its N-terminal portion is sufficient for the transformation of fibroblasts and that one-third of the carboxy-terminal domain has a key role for the transformation of erythroid cells.