Selectivity in the Integration of Viral DNA in Cells Infected and Transformed by Adenovirus

Abstract

In a series of studies we have demonstrated that the DNA of human adenovirus types 2 and 12 can be covalently linked to cellular DNA (for reviews see Doerfler, 1977; Doerfler et al., 1977). Recombination between viral and cellular DNA leading to the insertion of viral DNA sequences into the host genome appears to be a general phenomenon occurring in abortively infected (Doerfler, 1968; 1970), in productively infected (Burger and Doerfler, 1974; Doerfler et al., 1974; Schick et al., 1976), and in transformed cells (Bellett, 1975; Green et al., 1976; Groneberg et al., 1977). Viral DNA sequences are integrated in the form of fragments. There is evidence that viral DNA replication is not required for insertion (Doerfler, 1970; Fanning et al., 1978), whereas the integrated form of adenovirus DNA cannot be detected when cellular DNA is completely inhibited. The mechanism by which viral and cellular sequences are linked is not at all understood. It is likely that cellular replication and recombination mechanisms play an important role in the insertion.