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.