Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of early region Elb DNA of human adenovirus types 12, 7 and 5 (subgroups A, B and C)

Abstract

The nucleotide sequences of human adenovirus serotypes 12 (Ad 12, oncogenic subgroup A), 7 (Ad7, weakly oncogenic subgroup B) and 5 (Ad5, non-oncogenic subgroup C) DNAs have been compared. The region studied stretches from the termination codon of region Ela (m.p. 4.2) and comprises the entire region of the three viral DNAs. ending at the polyadenylation signal of the gene for viral polypeptide IVa2 (m.p. 11.2). The homology in the sequences encoding the Elb proteins of M r 20000 and M r 55000 is 55–60%, when two serotypes are compared, and about 45% in a three-strain comparison. However, a short internal segment encoding the C terminus of the M r 20000 protein, and at the same time amino acids 23-120 of the M r 55000 protein show a much higher degree of divergence in the three strains, as do the noncoding areas. The present study does not reveal how the three serotypes are phylogenetically related.