Isolation of a variant of human adenovirus serotype 2 that multiplies efficiently on monkey cells.

A variant of adenovirus serotype 2 (Ad2) that overcomes the block to multiplication of the wild-type Ad2 on monkey cells is described. The variant was selected, after nitrous acid mutagenesis, by sequential passage on monkey cells. This variant forms plaques with similar efficiency on human and monkey cells cells. The kinetics of its growth and its burst size on human and monkey cells are similar. These growth properties are similar to those found for wild-type Ad2 on monkey cells when the block is overcome by coinfection with simian virus 40.