Phenotypic shift after transformation — transformed mammalian cells frequently acquire which growth property regarding substrate attachment?

Introduction / Context:
Cell transformation—whether spontaneous, viral, or oncogene-driven—often alters cytoskeletal regulation, adhesion, and signaling, producing hallmark traits used to assess tumorigenicity in vitro.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We focus on growth behavior with respect to attachment.
• Transformed cells commonly lose strict requirements for anchorage and contact inhibition.
• Soft agar colony formation is a classic assay of transformation.

Concept / Approach:

Normal epithelial and many mesenchymal cells are anchorage dependent. Transformation frequently confers anchorage independence, allowing proliferation in semisolid media (soft agar) and enabling growth in suspension—a phenotype associated with malignancy and metastatic potential.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Oncogenic Ras/Myc and SV40 large T antigen transformations routinely convert cells to anchorage-independent phenotypes.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Anchorage dependency characterizes non-transformed cells; “enhanced genomic stability” is the opposite of typical transformation; “pronounced instability preventing any colony formation” is not a standard hallmark; feeder layers are not specific to transformation status.

Common Pitfalls:

Equating fast growth with transformation without testing anchorage independence.

Final Answer:

Anchorage independent growth (e.g., growth in soft agar)