The somatic cell genetics of human interferon: assignment of human interferon loci to chromosomes 2 and 5.

A total of 40 mouse-human cell hybrids were induced with poly(I).poly(C) and with Newcastle disease virus. Ten hybrid clones produced low levels of human interferon in response to both the virus and poly(I).poly(C). Concurrent enzymic and chromosomal analysis of the hybrid clones indicated a concordant segregation of these levels of human interferon with chromosomes 2 and 5. The presence of both chromosomes 2 and 5 was necessary for interferon production; neither was sufficient alone. Based on this finding, we postulate that there are at least two asyntenic gene loci for the expression of interferon in human cells.