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Abstract Background Subspecies B1 human adenoviruses (HAdV-B1) are prevalent respiratory pathogens. Compared to their species C (HAdV-C) counterparts, relatively little work has been devoted to the characterization of their unique molecular biology. The early region 3 (E3) transcription unit is an interesting target for future efforts because of its species-specific diversity in genetic content among adenoviruses. This diversity is particularly significant for the subset of E3-encoded products that are membrane glycoproteins and may account for the distinct pathobiology of the different human adenovirus species. In order to understand the role of HAdV-B-specific genes in viral pathogenesis, we initiated the characterization of unique E3 genes. As a continuation of our efforts to define the function encoded in the highly polymorphic ORF E3-10.9K and testing the hypothesis that the E3-10.9K protein orthologs with a hydrophobic domain contribute to the efficient release of viral progeny, we generated HAdV-3 mutant viruses unable to express E3-10.9K ortholog E3-9K and examined their ability to grow, disseminate, and egress in cell culture. Results No differences were observed in the kinetics of infected cell death, and virus progeny release or in the plaque size and dissemination phenotypes between cells infected with HAdV-3 E3-9K mutants or the parental virus. The ectopic expression of E3-10.9K orthologs with a hydrophobic domain did not compromise cell viability. Conclusions Our data show that despite the remarkable similarities with HAdV-C E3-11.6K, HAdV-B1 ORF E3-10.9K does not encode a product with a “death-like” biological activity.

Abstract Background Human adenovirus 14 (HAdV-14) is a recognized causative agent of epidemic febrile respiratory illness (FRI). Last reported in Eurasia in 1963, this virus has since been conspicuously absent in broad surveys, and was never isolated in North America despite inclusion of specific tests for this serotype in surveillance methods. In 2006 and 2007, this virus suddenly emerged in North America, causing high attack rate epidemics of FRI and, in some cases, severe pneumonias and occasional fatalities. Some outbreaks have been relatively mild, with low rates of progression beyond uncomplicated FRI, while other outbreaks have involved high rates of more serious outcomes. Methodology and Findings In this paper we present the complete genomic sequence of this emerging pathogen, and compare genomic sequences of isolates from both mild and severe outbreaks. We also compare the genome sequences of the recent isolates with those of the prototype HAdV-14 that circulated in Eurasia 30 years ago and the closely related sequence of HAdV-11a, which has been circulating in southeast Asia. Conclusions The data suggest that the currently circulating strain of HAdV-14 is closely related to the historically recognized prototype throughout its genome, though it does display a couple of potentially functional mutations in the fiber knob and E1A genes. There are no polymorphisms that suggest an obvious explanation for the divergence in severity between outbreak events, suggesting that differences in outcome are more likely environmental or host determined rather than viral genetics.

A 3-year-old male with X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome type 1 underwent an unrelated umbilical cord blood transplant (UUCBT). The week prior to transplant the patient tested positive for adenovirus (HAdV) with a viral load of

Acute respiratory diseases (ARD) are caused by numerous viral pathogens, including several human adenovirus (HAdV) types. Respiratory HAdV infections range from mild to severe and are fatal in some cases. [...]

Background: The lack of adequate in vitro systems to isolate and propagate guinea pig adenovirus (GPAdV), a prevalent cause of respiratory illness of varaible severity in laboratory guinea pig colonies worldwide, has precluded its formal characterization to allow for the development of comprehensive diagnostic assays, and for the execution of complex pathogenesis and basic virology studies. Methods: Two strains of GPAdV were isolated in guinea pig ( Cavia porcellus) cell cultures from frozen archival infected animal tissue originated from colony outbreaks of pneumonia in Australia and the Czech Republic in 1996. Results: Commercially available guinea pig cell lines from colorectal carcinoma (GPC-16), fetal fibroblast (104-C1) and lung fibroblast (JH4 C1), and the tracheal epithelial cell line GPTEC-T developed in this study were able to support viral infection and early propagation. Sufficient viral DNA was recovered from cell cultures to PCR-amplify and obtain sequence data for the complete hexon gene and partial DNA polymerase and penton base genes. Phylogenetic analysis for the three regions of the genome provided strong evidence confirming GPAdV as a unique species in the genus Mastadenovirus. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of propagating GPAdV in cultures of immortalized lines of GP cells of a variety of types, thus establishing a critical foundation for the development of a robust culture platform for virus stock production and titration. The generation and analysis of whole GPAdV genome sequences will provide additional data for a comprehensive description of the genetic organization of the viral genome and for a better assessment of genetic diversity between the two isolated strains.

Human adenovirus genome (HAdV) type 7d (HAdV-7d) was first detected in the United States in December 2013 in Oregon, in association with acute respiratory disease (ARD) requiring hospitalization (1). In [...]

Background: The lack of adequate in vitro systems to isolate and propagate guinea pig adenovirus (GPAdV), a prevalent cause of respiratory illness of varaible severity in laboratory guinea pig colonies worldwide, has precluded its formal characterization to allow for the development of comprehensive diagnostic assays, and for the execution of complex pathogenesis and basic virology studies. Methods: Two strains of GPAdV were isolated in guinea pig ( Cavia porcellus) cell cultures from frozen archival infected animal tissue originated from colony outbreaks of pneumonia in Australia and the Czech Republic in 1996. Results: Commercially available guinea pig cell lines from colorectal carcinoma (GPC-16), fetal fibroblast (104-C1) and lung fibroblast (JH4 C1), and the tracheal epithelial cell line GPTEC-T developed in this study were able to support viral infection and early propagation. Sufficient viral DNA was recovered from cell cultures to PCR-amplify and obtain sequence data for the complete hexon gene and partial DNA polymerase and penton base genes. Phylogenetic analysis for the three regions of the genome provided strong evidence confirming GPAdV as a unique species in the genus Mastadenovirus. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of propagating GPAdV in cultures of immortalized lines of GP cells of a variety of types, thus establishing a critical foundation for the development of a robust culture platform for virus stock production and titration. The generation and analysis of whole GPAdV genome sequences will provide additional data for a comprehensive description of the genetic organization of the viral genome and for a better assessment of genetic diversity between the two isolated strains.

Human adenovirus type 4 (HAdV-4), the only human adenovirus classified within species E, was first identified in the early 1950s in association with military outbreaks of febrile respiratory illness and [...]

Background: Human adenovirus (HAdV)-D56 was first described in 2011 by genomics analysis of a strain isolated in France in 2008 from a fatal case of neonatal infection. Since then, it has been reported in cases of keratoconjunctivitis and male urethritis. Three epidemiologically unrelated fatal cases of neonatal sepsis associated with infection by HAdV-D strains with a similar genetic makeup were documented in the United States between 2014 and 2020. Methods: Whole genome sequences were obtained for the isolated strains, and genomics analyses were conducted to compare them to phylogenetically related HAdV-D genomic sequences available in GenBank. Results: The three new US strains were indistinguishable by in silico restriction enzyme analysis. Their genome sequences were 99.9% identical to one another and to the prototype strain isolated in 2008 from a similar context of disease. The phylogenetic reconstruction revealed a highly supported clustering of all HAdV-D56 strains isolated in various countries since 1982. Our comparison to serologically intermediate strains 15/H9 described in the literature indicated that HAdV-D56-like viruses have circulated worldwide since the late 1950s. Conclusion: As with other HAdV-D genotypes with the ability to infect ocular and genital mucosae, the risk of severe prenatal or perinatal HAdV-D56 infection must be considered.

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) contain linear, double-stranded DNA with an average genomic length of 35 kbp. The 51 serotypes identified by seroneutralization and >70 genotypes that have been described by computational [...]