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Occurrence of Epstein–Barr Virus Genomes in Human Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines

Nature New Biology volume 237, pages 189–190 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

DURING the past two years, work in this and other laboratories has demonstrated viral genomes characteristic of Epstein–Barr (EB) virus in cell lines and biopsy cells derived from Burkitt lymphomas1–4, and anaplastic carcinomas of the nasopharynx5. Our technique consists of hybridizing DNA from the cells concerned with the complementary RNA (cRNA) obtained by the transcription of EB virus DNA in vitro with E. coli RNA polymerase. We have now applied the technique to various lymphoblastoid cell lines which lack virus particle and structural viral antigens and found that they all seem to carry EB virus genomes. DNA from human umbilical cord leucocytes, however, seems to be free of such genomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Virologie der Universität Würzburg, 8700, Würzburg, Versbacher Landstrasse 7

    HARALD ZUR HAUSEN, VOLKER DIEHL, HANS WOLF, HEINRICH SCHULTE-HOLTHAUSEN & ULRICH SCHNEIDER

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  1. HARALD ZUR HAUSEN
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  2. VOLKER DIEHL
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  3. HANS WOLF
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HAUSEN, H., DIEHL, V., WOLF, H. et al. Occurrence of Epstein–Barr Virus Genomes in Human Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines. Nature New Biology 237, 189–190 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio237189a0

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