Structural gene alterations in lymphoblastoid B- and T-cell lines upon mono- and double adenovirus and Epstein-Barr virus infection

The changes in the state of rRNA genes as well as c-sis and c-myb oncogenes have been revealed upon mono- and double infection of T and B lymphoblasto id cells with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and type 2 adenovirus (Ad) using mol ecular hybridization technique. In Ad-infected T cell lines additional 18.3 kb rDNA allele has been registered (Jurkat cells) or standard 14.7 and 3.0 kb fragments have been shown to amplify (CEM cells), rDNA amplified also u pon Ad infection of Raji cells containing EBV genes in an integrated state. The profound alteration in the state of rRNA genes accompanied by the loss of one of the alleles have been registered upon Ad superinfection of B95-8 cells which are chronically infected and produce EBV. In T-cell lines CEM and Jurkat Ad infection resulted in c-sis amplification at the relatively e arly stage of infection. In Ad-infected CEM cells c-myb also amplified. Mea nwhile Ad infection of lymphoblastoid B-cell lines Raji and B95-8 has not a ffected the state of c-sis oncogene in these cells. Therefore some new aspe cts of viral infection, namely alterations in the state of rRNA genes as we ll as several oncogenes in virus-infected cells have been revealed.