This lecture is concerned with the phenomenon of cell transformation by viruses. G1 is the phase in which the cell gears up for division. S is the phase in which new nucleic acid is made. G2 is the space before mitosis. M is the mitotic division phase.
Transformed cells are atypical in many ways.
Assays for Cell Transformation. Any differences between transformed and non transformed cells can be used to assay the transforming ability of viruses or chemicals e.g. morphology, - increased refractility or differentiation. Focus forming assay. The first assay for viral transformation devised by Rubin and Temin. In mid 1950s Rous sarcoma virus, an avian retrovirus, was found to induce morphological changes and extend the life of chick embryo fibroblast cells in culture.