# EXPRESSION OF RETROVIRAL ENVELOPE GENE FUSION PROTEINS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 1993 · $212,728

## Abstract

The transforming gene (v-mos) of Moloney murine sarcoma virus has been
intensively studied in order to understand how it transforms mammalian
cells.  The characterization of oncogenes such as mos has also led to the
identification of normal cellular genes that control cell growth,
proliferation and development.  Recently it was shown that the c-mos proto-
oncogene is developmentally expressed in germ cells.  In mouse and Xenopus
oocytes, expression of mos is essential for meiosis and this function is
likely to be conserved in humans.  Thus, the overall objective of this
grant is to extend our understanding of how mos regulates cell cycle
control, both during oncogenic transformation as well as meiosis.  Three
specific areas of research are proposed.

First, we will examine the role of mos(xe) in Xenopus laevis oocyte
maturation. Evidence suggest that during oocyte maturation the mos protein
plays a role in the activation or stabilization of MPF.  Therefore, we will
examine the potential effects of mos(xe) on the phosphorylation state of
p34(cdc2).  We will study the effect of cyclin phosphorylation on oocyte
maturation and on the ability of mos(xe) to accelerate oocyte maturation
induced by cyclin.  Experiments are also proposed to further investigate
the requirement for mos(xe) expression during progression from meiosis I to
meiosis II.  Additional experiments will determine the interaction between
the mos(xe) protein and microtubules, and also the effects of mos(xe)
expression on the activation of MAP kinase during oocyte maturation.

Second, we will study the importance of phosphorylation for activation of
mos(xe).  Evidence suggests that the biological activities of the mos(xe)
protein are regulated in part by phoshorylation.  In this section, we
propose to examine in detail the time course of phosphorylation with
respect to the appearance of both maturation promoting factor (MPF) and
cytostatic factor (CSF) during meiotic maturation.  These studies will
include the determination of major phosphorylation sites in the mos(xe)
protein.  In addition to potential sites of autophosphorylation, we will
attempt to characterize other kinase(s) responsible for phosphorylating the
mos(xe) protein.

Third, we will examine the role of mos expression in mammalian cell
transformation.  We will undertake the construction of mammalian cell lines
allowing rapid inducible expression of mos.  Our goal will be to isolate
cell lines which are inducible for either morphological transformation or
cytotoxicity (which has been correlated with mos overexpression.)  These
studies will allow us to determine the threshhold level of mos expression
required to achieve mammalian cell transformation or cytotoxicity.  The
effects of inducible mos overexpression on the mammalian cell cycle will be
examined.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3172158
- **Project number:** 5R01CA034456-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** UYTTZT6G9DT1
- **Principal Investigator:** DANIEL J DONOGHUE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $212,728
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-04-01 → 1995-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3172158

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3172158, EXPRESSION OF RETROVIRAL ENVELOPE GENE FUSION PROTEINS (5R01CA034456-10). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3172158. Licensed CC0.

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