Identification of the adenovirus early proteins and their genomic map positions

Six different group C adenovirus transformed hamster cell lines were employed to produce tumors in hamsters. The sera from these animals were then used to immunoprecipitate [³⁵S]methionine-labeled adenovirus induced tumor antigens from virus infected and transformed cells. Collectively, these sera detect 14 virus induced tumor antigens. Based upon the regions of the adenoviral genome present and transcribed in each of the transformed cell lines, an estimated position of the genomic map location responsible for the induction of each of the tumor antigens or viral early proteins was determined. These sera were also employed to follow the synthesis of the adenovirus proteins during productive infection and in transformed cells. Based upon this analysis the tumor antigens can be divided into two groups, early and delayed early proteins, depending upon the time after infection that a protein was synthesized and detected by immunoprecipitation. A comparison of the Ad2 and Ad5 early proteins produced in virus infected and transformed cells indicated that several proteins have different apparent molecular weights that are serotype specific but independent of the species of host cell employed.