Subgenomic viral DNA species synthesized in simian cells by human and simian adenoviruses

DNA synthesized after infection of simian tissue culture cells (BSC-1 or CV-1) with human adenovirus type 2 or 5 or with simian adenovirus 7 was characterized. It was demonstrated that as much as 40% of the virus-specific DNA in nuclei of infected monkey cells consists of subgenomic pieces. No subgenomic viral DNA species were detected in the nuclei of human (HeLa) cells infected with these adenovirus types. Restriction analysis showed that these short viral DNA molecules contain normal amounts of the sequences from the ends of the viral genome, whereas internal regions are underrepresented. The production of subgenomic DNAs is not correlated with semipermissive infection. Although adenovirus types 2 and 5 are restricted in monkey cells, these cells are fully permissive for simian adenovirus 7. HR404, an adenovirus type 5 mutant which is not restricted in monkey cells, produced the same percentage of subgenomic DNAs as did its wild type (restricted) parent, and coinfection of monkey cells with adenovirus type 5 DNAs. The array of predominant size classes among the heterogeneously sized short DNAs is serotype specific. Extensive plaque purification and comparison of wild-type adenovirus type 5 with several viral mutants indicated that the distribution of aberrant sizes of DNA is characteristic of the virus and not a result of random replicative errors and then enrichment of particular species.