Study of avian adenovirus DNA infectivity in chick embryos.

Inoculation of CELO adenovirus deproteinized DNA into the allantoic cavity of 9-day-old chick embryos (CE) induced the synthesis of infectious viral particles. The produced virions appeared to be identical with CELO adenovirions in terms of morphology, electrophoretic and immunochemical properties of hexon major capsid protein and also of DNA dot-hybridization. High infectivity of CELO DNA (minimal infective dose equaled 40 ng) may be also related, at least in part, to the absence of deoxyribonuclease activity in the allantoic fluid (AF).