Adenovirus Type 2-Simian Virus 40 Hybrid Population: Evidence for a Hybrid Deoxyribonucleic Acid Molecule and the Absence of Adenovirus-Encapsidated Circular Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Abstract

The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from the adenovirus-encapsidated particles of the adenovirus type 2 (Ad2)-simian virus 40 (SV40) hybrid population plaque variant (Ad2 ++ HEY), known to yield SV40 virus with high efficiency, was studied by equilibrium density centrifugation followed by ribonucleic acid-DNA hybridization employing virus-specific complementary ribonucleic acids synthesized in vitro. These techniques establish linkage between the Ad2 and SV40 components in the adenovirus-encapsidated particles of this population. The linkage is alkali-resistant and presumably covalent; thus, the Ad2 DNA and SV40 DNA are present in a hybrid molecule. Velocity centrifugation studies in alkaline sucrose gradients eliminated the possibility that supercoiled circular SV40 DNA is present in the adenovirus capsids. The DNA obtained from the adenovirus-encapsidated particles of the Ad2 ++ HEY population appears to consist of nonhybrid Ad2 DNA and Ad2-SV40 hybrid DNA molecules.