Reassociation kinetics for Epstein-Barr virus DNA: nonhomology to mammalian DNA and homology of viral DNA in various diseases.

The number of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genomes per cell in established leukocytic lines and tissue specimens has been evaluated by measuring DNA-DNA reassociation kinetics with hydroxyapatite chromatography. Under the proper conditions, this method is sufficiently sensitive to detect EBV DNA in the amount of 0.1 genome per cell. All the samples tested that have been suspected to be without EBV DNA by cRNA hybridization proved negative by this more sensitive specific analysis. These included Hela and Hep2 cells, a negative case of Burkitt's lymphoma, two negative cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and two established human leukocytic lines. Homology tests conducted with single-strand-specific nuclease S1 indicated that the viral DNA from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma and infectious mononucleosis were more than 90% homologous to EBV DNA.