An adenovirus early region 1A protein is required for maximal viral DNA replication in growth-arrested human cells

Two closely related adenovirus early region 1A proteins are expressed in transformed cells. The smaller of these, which is 243 amino acids in length, is required for the transformation of primary rat cells and for the transformation of immortalized rat cells to anchorage-independent growth. This protein is not required for productive infection of exponentially growing HeLa cells but is required for maximal replication in growth (G0)-arrested human lung fibroblasts (WI-38 cells). To determine the function of this protein in viral replication in these G0-arrested cells, we compared viral early mRNA, early protein, and late protein synthesis after infection with wild type or a mutant which does not express the protein. No differences were found. However, viral DNA synthesis by the mutant was delayed and decreased to 20 to 30% that of wild type in these cells. Viral DNA synthesis was much less defective in growing WI-38 cells, and in the transformed human HeLa cell line it occurred at wild-type levels. Furthermore, the mutant which can express only the 243-amino-acid early region 1A protein induced cellular DNA synthesis in G0-arrested rat cells to the same level as wild-type virus. A mutant which can express only the 289-amino-acid early region 1A protein induced less cellular DNA synthesis in G0-arrested rat cells. We propose that the early region 1A 243-amino-acid protein alters the physiology of arrested permissive cells to allow maximal viral DNA replication. In nonpermissive rodent cells, the 243-amino-acid protein drives G0-arrested cells into S phase. This activity is probably important for the immortalization of primary cells.