Adenoviruses in fecal samples from asymptomatic rhesus macaques, United States.

Adenoviruses can cause infectious diarrheal disease or respiratory infections in humans; 2 recent reports have indicated probable human infection with simian adenoviruses (SAdVs). To assess the possibility of animal-to-human transmission of SAdVs, we tested fecal samples from asymptomatic rhesus macaques housed in 5 primate facilities in the United States and cultured 23 SAdV isolates. Of these, 9 were purified and completely sequenced; 3 SAdV samples from the American Type Culture Collection (SAdV-6, SAdV-18, and SAdV-20) were also completely sequenced.

Construction of gene transfer vectors based on simian adenovirus 7.

The complete nucleotide sequence of an isolate of simian adenovirus 7 (SAdV-7) was determined. The genome organization of this isolate was found to be similar to that of other primate adenoviruses with two principal notable points: severe truncation of the E1A and E1B 19K proteins and an E3 region encoding only the 12.5K homologue.

Rescue of chimeric adenoviral vectors to expand the serotype repertoire.

The successful use of any adenoviral vectors is predicated upon the use of a serotype that is not neutralized by circulating antibodies. However, efforts to develop a diverse repertoire of serologically distinct adenovirus vectors may be hindered by the necessity to generate cell lines to allow for the successful propagation of vectors deleted of essential genes. A strategy to construct chimeric adenoviruses whereby the rescue and propagation of an E1-deleted HAdV-B-derived adenoviral vector can be achieved using existing cell lines such as HEK 293 is reported.

Use of chimeric adenoviral vectors to assess capsid neutralization determinants.

In order to elucidate the relative importance of neutralizing determinants on each of the three major adenoviral capsid components, we have generated chimeric vectors where the hexon protein, or the fiber protein, or both hexon and fiber proteins of one serotype (Simian Adenovirus 24/Pan 7) have been replaced by those of another (Simian Adenovirus 23/Pan 6). The effect of each replacement was evaluated by neutralization assays and by attempted vector re-administration into mice. Both hexon and fiber were found to harbor neutralization epitopes although in vivo transduction was more severely affected by anti-hexon antibodies.

Complete nucleotide sequences and genome organization of four chimpanzee adenoviruses.

The complete nucleotide sequences for four adenoviruses-Simian Adenoviruses 21, 22, 23, and 24, originally isolated from chimpanzees, were determined. The genome organization of the chimpanzee adenoviruses was found to be similar to that of other adenoviruses. The viral gene products of the adenoviruses Simian Adenoviruses 22, 23, and 24 are very closely related to those of the (previously sequenced) chimpanzee adenovirus Simian Adenovirus 25.