Modification of avian sarcoma proviral DNA sequences in nonpermissive XC cells but not in permissive chicken cells.

Abstract For the first time, we present evidence with restriction enzymes HpaII and MspI which indicates that the proviral DNA sequence of avian sarcoma virus is modified by methylation in a nonpermissive rat cell line but not in permissive chicken cells. Some of the endogenous viral sequences in the permissive cells were also methylated. No 5-methylcytosine could be detected in the unintegrated viral DNA.