The complete DNA sequence and genomic organization of the avian adenovirus CELO.

The complete DNA sequence of the avian adenovirus chicken embryo lethal orphan (CELO) virus (FAV-1) is reported here. The genome was found to be 43,804 bp in length, approximately 8 kb longer than those of the human subgenus C adenoviruses (Ad2 and Ad5). This length is supported by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of genomes isolated from several related FAV-1 isolates (Indiana C and OTE). The genes for major viral structural proteins (Illa, penton base, hexon, pVI, and pVIII), as well as the 52,000-molecular-weight (52K) and 100K proteins and the early-region 2 genes and IVa2, are present in the expected locations in the genome. CELO virus encodes two fiber proteins and a different set of the DNA-packaging core proteins, which may be important in condensing the longer CELO virus genome. No pV or pIX genes are present. Most surprisingly, CELO virus possesses no identifiable E1, E3, and E4 regions. There is 5 kb at the left end of the CELO virus genome and 15 kb at the right end with no homology to Ad2. The sequences are rich in open reading frames, and it is likely that these encode functions that replace the missing El, E3, and E4 functions.     

Stability of the structure and antigenic determinants of adenovirus type 1 native hexon to proteases

Hexon capsomers of human adenovirus type 1 (h1) labeled by iodine 125 were digested in a native state (trimers) by trypsin, chymotrypsin or papain, and the resulting hydrolysates were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. In each case, a discrete and temporally stable pattern of relatively large fragments was revealed. The degree of hexon polypeptide hydrolysis was maximal for papain, intermediate for chymotrypsin and minimal for trypsin, the largest fragments in the digest being 32, 40 and 80 kD, respectively. At room temperature, all the electrophoretically discernible hexon proteolytical fragments were held together in structures resembling intact hexon trimers and could be regarded as "hexon cores", of which papain hexon cores were the most stable during SDS-PAGE. Radioimmunoprecipitation analysis revealed a complete absence of native hexon antigenicity in thermodenaturated fragments of hexon protease digests, while native trypsin, chymotrypsin and papain hexon cores could be precipitated by hexon-specific antibodies. The immunoprecipitated material contained all of the hexon fragments found in appropriate hexon cores and retained the structure of the original cores. Trypsin, chymotrypsin and papain hexon cores were shown to possess at least part of native Ad h1 hexon antigenic determinants of each of the following specificities: species-specific (epsilon), cross-reactive with hexon of human adenoviruses (h3 and h6), simian adenovirus (sim 16), bovine adenoviruses (bos 3 and bos 7) and avian adenovirus (Aviadenovirus gal 1 or CELO). Thus, the full spectrum of known hexon antigenic determinants (species-specific to intergenus-crossreactive) is at least portly stable against protease attack of native hexon capsomers.     

Capsid-like arrays in crystals of chimpanzee adenovirus hexon

The major coat protein, hexon, from a chimpanzee adenovirus (AdC68) is of interest as a target for vaccine vector modification. AdC68 hexon has been crystallized in the orthorhombic space group C222 with unit cell dimensions of a = 90.8 A, b = 433.0 A, c = 159.3 A, and one trimer (3 x 104,942 Da) in the asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to 2.1 A resolution. Initial studies reveal that the molecular arrangement is quite unlike that in hexon crystals for human adenovirus. In the AdC68 crystals, hexon trimers are parallel and pack closely in two-dimensional continuous arrays similar to those formed on electron microscope grids. The AdC68 crystals are the first in which adenovirus hexon has molecular interactions that mimic those used in constructing the viral capsid.     

Delivery of secreted placental alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) gene in vitro and in vivo as a component of recombinant avian adenovirus (CELO)

Recombinant adenoviruses capable of expressing the gene of secreted placentary alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) under control of CMV-promoter was obtained on the basis of CELO avian adenovirus and human adenovirus-5 (Ad5) genomes. The efficiency of the CELO vector was determined in experiments with transduction of human (293, A549, and H1299), mouse (B16), and avian (LMH) cell cultures. It was shown in C57BL/6 mice in vivo that SEAP gene is expressed under conditions of intravenous, intranasal, and intratumoral application of recombinant adenovirus CELO-SEAP. The duration of expression of the alkaline phosphatase CELO = SEAP gene in immunocompetent mouse body was 21 days. The level of SEAP gene expression was measured in the allantois fluid of chicken embryo infected with recombinant adenovirus CELO-SEAP.     

Characterization of CELO Virus Proteins That Modulate the pRb/E2F Pathway

The avian adenovirus CELO can, like the human adenoviruses, transform several mammalian cell types, yet it lacks sequence homology with the transforming, early regions of human adenoviruses. In an attempt to identify how CELO virus activates the E2F-dependent gene expression important for S phase in the host cell, we have identified two CELO virus open reading frames that cooperate in activating an E2F-inducible reporter system. The encoded proteins, GAM-1 and Orf22, were both found to interact with the retinoblastoma protein (pRb), with Orf22 binding to the pocket domain of pRb, similar to other DNA tumor virus proteins, and GAM-1 interacting with pRb regions outside the pocket domain. The motif in Orf22 responsible for the pRb interaction is essential for Orf22-mediated E2F activation, yet it is remarkably unlike the E1A LxCxD and may represent a novel form of pRb-binding peptide.     

A common sequence in the inverted terminal repetitions of human and avian adenoviruses

The termini of the avian chick embryo lethal orphan (CELO) virus DNA have been sequenced. The results revealed a 63-bp-long inverted terminal repetition (ITR) which shared the sequence ATAATA with all adenovirus termini, thus far analyzed. The CELO virus ITR differed from those of the mammalian adenoviruses in two major aspects: (i) it is not a perfect duplication; (ii) it begins with a 5'-guanylic acid residue instead of the cytidylic acid normally observed in adenoviruses.     

The CELO-ANG recombinant avian adenovirus with human angiogenine gene inducing neovascularization in the anterior tibial muscle of rat

The CELO recombinant avian adenovirus carrying the gene coding the human angiogenine (ANG) synthesis was obtained. Expression of the angiogenine gene was shown in the LMH cell culture after infection with the CELO-ANG virus. The ability of CELO recombinant adenoviruses to carry out the delivery and expression of alien genes in muscle cells was demonstrated in experiments with laboratory animals (Wistar line rats). The induced neovascularization in rat muscles after the animals were administered the CELO-ANG viruses was shown.     

Complementary strands of CELO virus DNA.

When alkali-denatured DNA from CELO virus (an avian adenovirus) was annealed for 15 min at 37 C in 0.1 M NaCl, 70% of the molecules formed single-stranded circles. This is probably due to base pairing of complementary sequences not more than 110 nucleotides long at the ends of the single strands and implies an inverted terminal repetition in the duplex DNA similar to that reported for the DNA from human adenoviruses. The circular molecules had a uniform length that was approximately the same as that of linear single-stranded molecules. The complementary strands of CELO virus DNA were separated on a preparative scale, and at least 40% of the heavy strands and 56% of the light strands were found to be intact as judged by the formation of single-stranded circles.     

Production of human recombinant beta-interferon in the avian cell culture

The avian recombinant adenovirus of serotype 1 (CELO) was obtained. The recombinant adenovirus of serotype 1 (CELO) induces expression of human beta-interferon (IB). The expression cassette containing IB gene was placed at the right end of the CELO genome under control of hybrid promoter hEF-1alpha/HTLV. The resulting recombinant adenovirus CELO-IB transduced the avian cell culture LMH. The level of production of the recombinant IB was 0.15 micro/ml. The IB protein yield after affine chromatography purification using Ni-NTA agarose was 50%. The biological activity of the purified IB was high (7.8 x 10(8) MU/microg protein). The purified IB inhibited replication of murine encephalomyocarditis virus (VMEC) in cell culture of human diploid fibroblasts (HDF). Thus, expression system based on avian cell culture is an effective system for producing biologically active protein of human interferon beta.     

Reannotation of the CELO genome characterizes a set of previously unassigned open reading frames and points to novel modes of host interaction in avian adenoviruses

Background  

The genome of the avian adenovirus Chicken Embryo Lethal Orphan (CELO) has two terminal regions without detectable homology in mammalian adenoviruses that are left without annotation in the initial analysis. Since adenoviruses have been a rich source of new insights into molecular cell biology and practical applications of CELO as gene a delivery vector are being considered, this genome appeared worth revisiting. We conducted a systematic reannotation and in-depth sequence analysis of the CELO genome.     

Sequence analysis of hexon gene from adenovirus KR95 inducing hydropericardium syndrome in chickens

The nucleotide sequence of a part of the HindIII-D fragment (3300 b.p.) of adenovirus KR95 DNA has been determined. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence disclosed a continuous ORF for hexon gene (2814 b.p.) coding the 937 residue protein, part of ORF for the C-terminal region of pVI polypeptide, including 114 residues and the beginning of ORF coding 25 N-terminal residues for viral endoproteinase. Comparison of predicted KR95 hexon sequence and 8 mammalian and avian adenovirus hexon sequences revealed the highest homology between KR95 strain and avian adenoviruses FAV10 and FAV1 (91.1 and 80.1%, respectively). The results were used for creating a test system on the basis of the polymerase chain reaction. The system was used in analysis of fowl samples obtained from 12 poultry farms in Russia. The sequences of hexon gene amplified fragments in the isolated strains and similar fragments of other mammalian and avian adenoviruses have been compared.     

Eukaryotic vectors of Celo avian adenovirus genome,carrying GFP and human IL-2 genes

Recombinant CELO avian adenoviruses carrying green fluorescent protein (GFP) and and human interleukin-2 (IL-2) genes were obtained by homologous recombination in cell culture. The resultant recombinant CELO viruses are reproduced in chick embryos in the renal tubular and chorionic allantoic membrane cells. The ability of CELO vectors to transduce human and animal cells was studied in vitro (in cell cultures) and in vivo (in laboratory animals). GFP gene delivery and expression in recombinant CELO virus in tumors in C57BL/6 mice were for the first time demonstrated for B16 melanoma. Human IL-2 gene expression and protein accumulation in allantoic fluid of chick embryos infected with CELO-IL-2 vector were detected for the first time.     

Immunoenzyme analysis of adenovirus hexon. Determination of antibodies from hyperimmunized chickens

We have elaborated three systems of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of chicken IgG antibodies specific for hexon antigens of three immunologically distinct adenovirus groups: those of mammalian adenoviruses (Mastadenovira), typical avian adenoviruses (Aviadenovira) and of egg-drop syndrome-76 (EDS-76) virus. In each system the antibodies against respective hexons were specifically detected. In mammalian adenovirus hexons the ELISA detects primarily the type-specific (epsilon) and genus-specific (alpha) antigenic determinants. The time course of anti-hexon antibodies content was followed during immunization. The level of anti-hexon antibodies in egg yolk reflects adequately their content in blood serum. The technique is suitable for serological diagnosis of chicken adenoviral infections as well as for characterization of egg-yolk antibodies obtained by preparative hyperimmunization of hens.     

Replication-Defective Vector Based on a Chimpanzee Adenovirus

An adenovirus previously isolated from a mesenteric lymph node from a chimpanzee was fully sequenced and found to be similar in overall structure to human adenoviruses. The genome of this virus, called C68, is 36,521 bp in length and is most similar to subgroup E of human adenovirus, with 90% identity in most adenovirus type 4 open reading frames that have been sequenced. Substantial differences in the hexon hypervariable regions were noted between C68 and other known adenoviruses, including adenovirus type 4. Neutralizing antibodies to C68 were highly prevalent in sera from a population of chimpanzees, while sera from humans and rhesus monkeys failed to neutralize C68. Furthermore, infection with C68 was not neutralized from sera of mice immunized with human adenovirus serotypes 2, 4, 5, 7, and 12. A replication-defective version of C68 was created by replacing the E1a and E1b genes with a minigene cassette; this vector was efficiently transcomplemented by the E1 region of human adenovirus type 5. C68 vector transduced a number of human and murine cell lines. This nonhuman adenoviral vector is sufficiently similar to human serotypes to allow growth in 293 cells and transduction of cells expressing the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor. As it is dissimilar in regions such as the hexon hypervariable domains, C68 vector avoids significant cross-neutralization by sera directed against human serotypes.     

Structural and phylogenetic analysis of adenovirus hexons by use of high-resolution x-ray crystallographic,molecular modeling,and sequence-based methods

A major impediment to the use of adenovirus as a gene therapy vector and for vaccine applications is the host immune response to adenovirus hexon-the major protein component of the icosahedral capsid. A solution may lie in novel vectors with modified or chimeric hexons designed to evade the immune response. To facilitate this approach, we have distinguished the portion of hexon that all serotypes have in common from the hypervariable regions that are responsible for capsid diversity and type-specific immunogenicity. The common hexon core-conserved because it forms the viral capsid-sets boundaries to the regions where modifications can be made to produce nonnative hexons. The core has been defined from the large and diverse set of known hexon sequences by an accurate alignment based on the newly refined crystal structures of human adenovirus types 2 (Ad2) and Ad5 hexon. Comparison of the two hexon models, which are the most accurate so far, reveals that over 90% of the residues in each have three-dimensional positions that closely match. Structures for more distant hexons were predicted by building molecular models of human Ad4, chimpanzee adenovirus (AdC68), and fowl adenovirus 1 (FAV1 or CELO). The five structures were then used to guide the alignment of the 40 full-length (>900 residues) hexon sequences in public databases. Distance- and parsimony-based phylogenetic trees are consistent and reveal evolutionary relationships between adenovirus types that parallel those of their animal hosts. The combination of crystallography, molecular modeling, and phylogenetic analysis defines a conserved molecular core that can serve as the armature for the directed design of novel hexons.     

Structural organization and polypeptide composition of the avian adenovirus core.

CELO virus (fowl adenovirus 1) contained three core polypeptides of molecular weights 20,000, 12,000, and 9,500. The core was similar to that of human adenoviruses, with some evidence of compact subcore domains. Micrococcal nuclease digestion of CELO virus cores produced a smear of DNA fragments of gradually decreasing size, with no nucleosome subunit or repeat pattern. Moreover, when digested cores were analyzed without protease treatment, there was again no evidence of a nucleosome substructure; neither DNA fragments nor core proteins entered a 4% polyacrylamide gel. The organization of the core is thus quite unlike that of chromatin. Restriction endonuclease analysis of the DNA from digested cores showed that the right end was on the outside of the core. We suggest that adenovirus DNA is condensed into the core by cross-linking and neutralization by the core proteins, beginning with the packaging sequence at the center of the core and ending with the right end of the DNA on the outside.     

Isolation and Characterization of Adenoviruses Persistently Shed from the Gastrointestinal Tract of Non-Human Primates

Adenoviruses are important human pathogens that have been developed as vectors for gene therapies and genetic vaccines. Previous studies indicated that human infections with adenoviruses are self-limiting in immunocompetent hosts with evidence of some persistence in adenoid tissue. We sought to better understand the natural history of adenovirus infections in various non-human primates and discovered that healthy populations of great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans) and macaques shed substantial quantities of infectious adenoviruses in stool. Shedding in stools from asymptomatic humans was found to be much less frequent, comparable to frequencies reported before. We purified and fully sequenced 30 novel adenoviruses from apes and 3 novel adenoviruses from macaques. Analyses of the new ape adenovirus sequences (as well as the 4 chimpanzee adenovirus sequences we have previously reported) together with 22 complete adenovirus genomes available from GenBank revealed that (a) the ape adenoviruses could clearly be classified into species corresponding to human adenovirus species B, C, and E, (b) there was evidence for intraspecies recombination between adenoviruses, and (c) the high degree of phylogenetic relatedness of adenoviruses across their various primate hosts provided evidence for cross species transmission events to have occurred in the natural history of B and E viruses. The high degree of asymptomatic shedding of live adenovirus in non-human primates and evidence for zoonotic transmissions warrants caution for primate handling and housing. Furthermore, the presence of persistent and/or latent adenovirus infections in the gut should be considered in the design and interpretation of human and non-human primate studies with adenovirus vectors.     

Comparative sequence analysis of the hexon gene in the entire spectrum of human adenovirus serotypes: phylogenetic, taxonomic, and clinical implications

The adenovirus (AdV) hexon constitutes the major virus capsid protein. The epitopes located on the hexon protein are targets of neutralizing antibodies in vivo, serve in the recognition by cytotoxic T cells, and provide the basis for the classification of adenoviruses into the 51 serotypes known to date. We have sequenced the entire hexon gene from human serotypes with incomplete or no sequence information available (n = 34) and performed a comparative analysis of all sequences. The overall sequence divergence between the 51 human serotypes ranged from 0.7 to 25.4% at the protein level. The sequence information has been exploited to assess the phylogeny of the adenovirus family, and protein distances between the six AdV species (A to F) and among individual serotypes within each species were calculated. The analysis revealed that the differences among serotypes within individual species range from 0.3 to 5.4% in the conserved regions (765 amino acids [aa]) and from 1.5 to 59.6% in the variable regions (154 to 221 aa). Serotypes of different species showed an expectedly greater divergence both in the conserved (5.9 to 12.3%) and variable (49.0 to 74.7%) regions. Construction of a phylogenetic tree revealed three major clades comprising the species B+D+E, A+F, and C, respectively. For serotypes 50 and 51, the original assignment to species B and D, respectively, is not in accordance with the hexon DNA and protein sequence data, which placed serotype 50 within species D and serotype 51 within species B. Moreover, the hexon gene of serotype 16, a member of species B, was identified as the product of recombination between sequences of species B and E. In addition to providing a basis for improved molecular diagnostics and classification, the elucidation of the complete hexon gene sequence in all AdV serotypes yields information on putative epitopes for virus recognition, which may have important implications for future treatment strategies permitting efficient targeting of any AdV serotype.