Gene product of region E4 of adenovirus type 5 modulates accumulation of certain viral polypeptides

An adenovirus type 5 mutant, designated H5ilE4I, was constructed in which region E4 was replaced by a cloned cDNA. The cDNA was a copy of an mRNA which exclusively contains open translational reading frames 6 and 7. The phenotype of the mutant was compared with that of the previously characterized E4 mutant H2dl808 and wild-type adenovirus 5. Although the H5ilE4I mutant lacked at least five E4 genes, it was nondefective for growth in HeLa cells. The defects in viral DNA replication, late protein synthesis, and shutoff of host cell protein synthesis associated with the phenotype of the H2dl808 mutant were not observed in HeLa cells infected with the H5ilE4I mutant. However, differences were observed regarding the time of onset of viral DNA replication and the accumulation of the hexon polypeptide as well as the 72-kilodalton adenovirus-specific DNA-binding protein. The results thus indicate that open reading frame 6 or 7 or both contain all genetic information required for viral replication in tissue culture cells, whereas another E4 gene modulates the accumulation of certain viral polypeptides. The early onset of viral DNA replication in H5ilE4I-infected cells may be an indirect effect of the enhanced expression of the 72-kilodalton DNA-binding protein.