Adenovirus transcription. II. RNA sequences complementary to simian virus 40 and adenovirus 2DNA in AD2+ND1- and AD2+ND3-infected cells

The genomes of the two nondefective adenovirus 2/simian virus 40 (Ad2/SV 40) hybrid viruses, nondefective Ad2/SV 40 hybrid virus 1 (Ad2+ND1) and nondefective hybrid virus 3 (Ad2+ND3), WERE FORMED BY A DELETION OF ABOUT 5% OF Ad2 DNA and insertion of part of the SV40 genome. We have compared the cytoplasmic RNA synthesized during both the early and late stages of lytic infection of human cells by these hybrid viruses to that expressed in Ad2-infected and SV40-infected cells. Separated strands of the six fragments of 32P-labeled Ad2 DNA produced by cleavage with the restriction endonuclease EcoRI (isolated from Escherichia coli) and the four fragments of 32P-labeled SV40 DNA produced by cleavage with both a restriction nuclease isolated from Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Hpa1, and EcoRI were prepared by electrophoresis of denatured DNA in agarose gels. The fraction of each fragment strand expressed as cytoplasmic RNA was determined by annealing fragmented 32P-labeled strands to an excess of cellular RNA extracted from infected cells. The segment of Ad2 DNA deleted from both hybrid virus genomes is transcribed into cytoplasmic mRNA during the early phase of Ad2 infection. Hence, we suggest that Ad2 codes for at least one "early" gene product which is nonessential for virus growth in cell culture. In both early Ad2+ND1 and Ad2+ND3-infected cells, 1,000 bases of Ad2 DNA adjacent to the integrated SV40 sequences are expressed as cytoplasmic RNA but are not similarly expressed in early Ad2-infected cells. The 3' termini of this early hybrid virus RNA maps in the vicinity of 0.18 on the conventional SV40 map and probably terminates at the same position as early lytic SV40 cytoplasmic RNA. Therefore, the base sequence in this region of SV40 DNA specifies the 3' termini of early messenger RNA present in both hybrid virus and SV40-infected cells.

The location of the genes coding for hexon and fiber proteins in adenovirus DNA

A serological analysis has been made of the capsid antigens hexon and fiber from 17 Ad5-Ad2+ND1 recombinants that enables us to determine the phenotype of the recombinants. By correlation of this data with the genetic and physical maps of the adenovirus genome, obtained by recombination and restriction endonuclease analysis, the genes coding for the hexon and fiber have been assigned to specific locations on the adenovirus DNA.

Viral DNA in transformed cells. III. The amounts of different regions of the SV40 genome present in a line of transformed mouse cells

(32)P-Labeled SV40 DNA was treated sequentially with restricting endonucleases EcoRI and Hpa I, and the resulting four fragments of DNA were separated by gel electrophoresis. The kinetics of renaturation of each of the fragments and of complete SV40 DNA were measured in the presence of DNA extracted from the SVT2 line of SV40-transformed mouse cells. It was found that these cells contain about six copies of a segment of DNA which includes the early region of the SV40 genome, and about one copy of the late viral sequences. To map the region of the viral genome which is transcribed in SVT2 cells, separated strands of each of the four fragments were prepared and hybridized to total transformed cell RNA. Part of the E strands of the two DNA fragments (A and C) which span the early region of the SV40 genome were found to enter the hybrid.

Specific fragmentation of DNA of adenovirus serotypes 3, 5, 7, and 12, and adeno-simian virus 40 hybrid virus Ad2+ND1 by restriction endonuclease R.EcoRI

The products of complete digestion of duplex DNA of each of seven human adenoviruses with restriction endonuclease R. EcoRI ranged from two fragments for adenovirus 7 DNA (Ad7) to six fragments for Ad12 and Ad2 DNA. Viral serotypes from the same subgroups appeared to have related cleavage sites; Ad3 DNA and Ad7 (cl E46-LL) DNA were each cleaved into three fragments, and Ad7 (cl 19) DNA lacked one of the cleavage sites present in Ad3 and Ad7 (cl E46-LL) DNA. One of the cleavage sites in Ad2 DNA was deleted in the DNA' of adeno-SV40 hybrid virus Ad2(+)ND1, and three of the cleavage sites in Ad2 DNA were missing in Ad5 DNA. Thus, Ad2(+)ND1 DNA was cleaved into five and Ad5 DNA into three fragments. Each fragment represented a unique segment of viral DNA since each fragment was obtained in equimolar amounts and since the sum of the molecular weights of the fragments equaled the molecular weight of the homologous intact adenovirus DNA.

Conditional lethal mutants of adenovirus 2-simian virus 40 hybrids. I. Host range mutants of Ad2+ND1

Human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) grows poorly in monkey cells, although this defect can be overcome by co-infection with simian virus 40 (SV40). The nondefective Ad2-SV40 hybrid virus, Ad2(+)ND1, replicates efficiently in both human and African green monkey kidney cells, presumably due to the insertion of SV40 sequences into the Ad2 DNA. Several mutants of Ad2(+)ND1 have been isolated that grow and plaque poorly in monkey cells, although they retain the ability to replicate and plaque efficiently in HeLa cells. One of these mutants (H39) has been examined in detail. Studies comparing the DNA of the mutant with Ad2(+)ND1 either by the cleavage patterns produced by Escherichia coli R.RI restriction endonuclease digestion or by heteroduplexing reveal no differences. The pattern of protein synthesis of Ad2(+)ND1 and H39 in monkey cells is quite different with the mutant resembling Ad2, which is defective in the synthesis of late proteins. However, in human cells, the proteins synthesized by H39 and the parent Ad2(+)ND1 are very similar. The production of SV40 U antigen in H39-infected cells is different from that in Ad2(+)ND1-infected cells. Finally, the growth of H39 in monkey cells can be complemented by SV40.

Mapping of adenovirus 2 RNA sequences in lytically infected cells and transformed cell lines

The strands of the six EcoRI fragments and the HpaI fragments E and C of Ad2 DNA were separated by electrophoresis in agarose gels. Using 32P-labeled fragment strands in solution hybridization experiments, the fraction of each strand complementary to RNA extracted from infected or transformed cells was assayed by chromatography on hydroxylapatite. In this manner, a tentative map of the cytoplasmic RNA sequences has been constructed for viral RNA extracted from cells both early and late during infection (see Fig. 16; in the map shown, the two strands of Ad2 are named the r and l strands following the bacteriophage convention). Since early cytoplasmic RNA anneals to four distinct regions of the genome, Ad2 probably codes for at least four early gene functions. Summation experiments have shown that all RNA sequences found in the cytoplasm of cells early during infection are also present in the cells' cytoplasm at late times. Viral RNA sequences in five independently isolated and cloned transformed rat cell lines were also mapped on the Ad2 genome. One class of Ad2-transformed rat cells contains RNA sequences complementary to only the segment of Ad2 DNA from 0.03-0.10 on the physical map, and this corresponds to one of the four regions of the genome expressed early during infection. If a viral gene product is necessary to maintain the transformed phenotype of the cell or codes for the virus-specific tumor (T) antigen, this genetic information must be at the left end of the genome (see Fig. 16). The two other classes of Ad2-transformed rat cells contain viral RNA sequences complementary to two or three of the regions of the genome transcribed into early cytoplasmic RNA. At both early and late times during the lytic cycle, the nucleus of the infected cell contains viral RNA sequences that are not transported to the cell's cytoplasm, suggesting that RNA processing and selection may play a role in the regulation of viral mRNA production.

Transcription of simian virus 40. 3. Mapping of "early" and "late" species of RNA

To determine the orientation of transcription of the E and L strands of DNA from simian virus 40 (SV40), we used linear DNA prepared by cleavage of superhelical viral DNA by endonuclease R.R(1) from Escherichia coli as a primer.template for DNA polymerase. The resulting molecules, which were labeled only at the 3' end of each DNA strand, were then cleaved with Hemophilus parainfluenzae endonuclease Hpa I. The ensuing four DNA fragments, whose locations on the viral genome are known, were separated by electrophoresis, denatured, and hybridized to asymmetric SV40 complementary RNA. From the pattern of hybridization of the fragments containing the labeled 3' ends, we conclude that transcription of SV40 proceeds in a clockwise direction on the L strand and in a counterclockwise direction on the E strand as drawn on the conventional SV40 map. To map the "early" and "late" regions of the viral genome, we extracted RNA from lytically infected cells and hybridized it to the separated strands of the four fragments of (32)P-labeled SV40 DNA. Early after infection, RNA complementary to part of the E strand of the contiguous fragments A and C was detected. Late polysomal RNA was complementary to part of the L strand sequences of fragments A and C and to the total L strand sequence of fragments B and D.

Transcription of simian virus 40. II. Hybridization of RNA extracted from different lines of transformed cells to the separated strands of simian virus 40 DNA

The amount of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA present in various SV40-transformed mouse cell lines and "revertants" isolated from them was determined. The number of viral DNA copies in the different cell lines ranged from 1.35 to 8.75 copies per diploid quantity of mouse cell DNA and from 2.2 to 14 copies per cell. The revertants had the same number of viral DNA copies per diploid quantity of mouse cell DNA as their parental cell lines. (However, they showed an increased number of viral DNA copies per cell due to their increased amount of DNA.) By using separated strands of SV40 DNA, the extent of each DNA strand transcribed into stable RNA species was determined for the transformed and "revertant" cell lines. From 30 to 80% of the "early" strand and from 0 to 20% of the "late" strand was present as stable RNA species in the cell lines tested. There was no alteration in the pattern of the stable viral RNA species present in three concanavalin A-selected revertants, whereas in a fluorodeoxyuridine-selected revertant there appeared to be less viral-specific RNA present in the cells.

Cleavage of adenovirus type 2 DNA into six unique fragments by endonuclease R-RI

The DNA of adenovirus type 2 was cleaved by restriction endonuclease R.RI into six fragments. These fragments were separated by electrophoresis on composite agarose-polyacrylamide gels. Their molecular weights ranged from 1.1 x 10(6) to 13.6 x 10(6), as measured by electron microscopy. Each fragment represented a unique segment of adenovirus type 2 DNA since: (i) the fragments were obtained in equimolar amounts; (ii) the sum of their molecular weights was equal to the molecular weight of complete adenovirus DNA; and (iii) each fragment exhibited a rate of renaturation that was inversely proportional to its size.

Electron microscope studies of heteroduplex DNA from a deletion mutant of bacteriophage phiX-174

A population of double-stranded replicative form of DNA molecules from bacteriophage varphiX-174 carrying a deletion of about 9% of the wild-type DNA has been discovered in a sample cultivated under conditions where the phage lysozyme gene is nonessential. The structures of deleted monomers, dimers, and trimers were studied by the electron microscope heteroduplex method. The dimers and trimers are head-to-tail repeats of the deleted monomers. Some interesting examples of the dynamical phenomenon of branch migration in vitro have been observed in heteroduplexes of deleted dimer and trimer strands with undeleted monomer viral strands from the wild-type phage.

Sequence heterogeneity in closed simian virus 40 deoxyribonucleic acid

The heteroduplex molecules formed by self-annealing of denatured, singly nicked simian virus 40 (SV40) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) prepared from closed viral DNA were examined by formamide-protein film electron microscopy to test the DNA for sequence homogeneity. Sequence inhomogeneity appears in the heteroduplexes as single-strand loops. These result from sequence deletion or from sequence substitution, if regions greater than 50 nucleotides are involved. The undenatured DNA from viruses passaged twice at multiplicities of infection much less than 1 plaque-forming unit (PFU) per cell appeared to be homogeneous in size. The heteroduplexes formed by this DNA indicated that approximately 2% of the molecules carried deletions, but that substitutions were below the level of detection. In contrast, undenatured DNA from viruses grown by passaging undiluted lysates seven times or by infection with stock virus at a multiplicity of infection of 5 PFU per cell contained a large frequency of molecules shorter than the full length. The heteroduplex samples indicated that 12 and 7% of the undenatured material contained base substitutions, and 13 and 11% contained deletions. The deletions and substitutions appear to occur in separate molecules. Length measurements on heteroduplexes displaying the loop characteristic of substitutions have established that these molecules are from true sequence substitutions, and not from adjacent or overlapping deletions. More than 80% of the molecules carrying substitutions are shorter than the native SV40 length. On the average, the substituted sequence is about 20% of the length of SV40, but it replaces a sequence about 30% of the native length. The substituted sequences may be host cell nuclear DNA, possibly arising from integration of SV40 into the chromosome followed by excision of the SV40 DNA together with chromosomal DNA.