Transforming genes among three different oncogenic subgroups of human adenoviruses have similar replicative functions.

We have examined the functional similarity of the transforming genes for replicative functions among three different subgroups of human adenoviruses (A, B, and C), using mutant complementation as an assay. A host range deletion mutant (dl201.2) of Ad2 (nononcogenic subgroup C) lacking about 5% of the viral DNA covering two early gene blocks (E1a and E1b) involved in cellular transformation was isolated and tested for its ability to replicate in nonpermissive KB cells in the presence of Ad7 (weakly oncogenic group B) or ad12 (highly oncogenic group A). The complementation of the mutant defect was demonstrated by cleaving the viral DNA extracted from mixed infected cells or the DNA extracted from purified virions from mixed infected cells with restriction endonuclease BamHI, which produces a different cleavage pattern with the DNA of each serotype. It was found that the defects in E1a plus E1b of dl201.2 could be complemented by Ad7 and Ad12, indicating that these genes in Ad2, Ad7, and Ad12 have similar functions during productive infection.