Detection and Localization of the v-myb(AMV) Gene Products of Avian Myeloblastosis Virus by a Synthetic Peptide Antiserum

An antiserum made against a synthetic peptide from an internal region of the predicted amino acid sequence of the avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) transforming v-myb(AMV) gene identified two products, p46 v-mybtAMv) and p32 v-myb(AMv), which were localized in the nucleus of AMV-transformed myeloblasts. We propose that these proteins are the in vivo products of the v-myb(AMV) gene and thus the transforming protein(s) of AMV. Avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) is one of the defective leukaemia viruses (DLV), a subdivision of avian RNA turnout viruses (Weiss et al., 1982). It is distinguished from the other DLVs in that it can only transform haematopoietic cells. As with other DLVs, it has two components. One is the helper virus(es), the myeloblastosis-associated virus(es) [MAV-1 or-2, subgroup A or B, respectively (envelope antigenicity)]; the other is the transforming virus, AMV. It is defective due to replacement of the gene sequences necessary for replication, specifically the majority of the envelope gene, env, and the terminal portion of the polymerase gene, pol, with an oncogene, v-myb(AMV), which is presumed to be the source of the transforming protein of this virus. By in vitro translation, others (Anderson & Chen, 1981) an