Functional interaction of nuclear transport-defective simian virus 40 large T antigen with chromatin and nuclear matrix

We analyzed the subcellular distribution of nuclear transport-defective simian virus 40 Lys-128-mutant (cT-3 and d10) large T antigens in various Lys-128-mutant-transformed rodent cells and in Lys-128-mutant d10-infected TC7 cells. Small but significant amounts of the mutant large T antigens were found in association with nuclear substructures, both in mutant-transformed and in mutant-infected cells. Experiments with TC7 cells made incompetent for cell division by 60Co irradiation supported the assumption that Lys-128-mutant large T antigen did not associate with nuclear components during mitosis but most likely was transported into the nucleus because the Lys-128 mutation was leaky for nuclear transport. Low-level simian virus 40 DNA replication and production of infectious mutant virus progeny in TC7 cells indicated that the association of Lys-128-mutant large T antigen with nuclear substructures is functional