Biosynthesis of subviral oncogenic particles (virosomes) in mitochondria of Rous sarcoma and Rauscher murine leukemia cells

Experimental evidence for the presence and biosynthesis of subviral, leukemogenic particles in the isolated mitochondria of spleen cells of mice infected with Rauscher murine leukemia (RML) virus is presented. These subviral particles sediment at a density of 1.27-1.29 g/ml and induce splenomegaly and RML three weeks after i.v. or i.p. administration to white mice. Virosomes have been labelled with [32P]phosphate in the isolated mitochondria from RML spleen cells and high molecular weight (70S) [32P]RNA has been isolated from these subviral, leukemogenic particles. Rauscher virus group specific antigens were detected by immunodiffusion in the inner membrane and matrix fraction of the mitochondria of RML spleen cells. These results together with our earlier findings strongly suggest that mitochondria of the transformed cells participate in the biosynthesis of RNA tumor viruses. Possible mechanism of the penetration of viral genetic information of RNA tumor viruses into mitochondria of tumor cells in vivo is discussed.