Predicted structure of two adenovirus tumor antigens

Early adenovirus type 2(Ad2) mRNA sequences have been cloned by using the pBR322 plasmid as a vector. Two clones that include sequences from region E1B were identified and their DNAs were characterized by hybridization, restriction enzyme cleavage, and DNA sequence analysis. The results showed that the clones were derived from two different spliced mRNAs. By combining our results with the established DNA sequence for region E1B of the closely related adenovirus type 5[Maat, J., van Beveren, C.P. & van Ormondt, H. (1980) Gene, in press] it was possible to deduce the structure of a 13S and a 22S mRNA. The two mRNAs differ from each other by the size of their intervening sequences. If translation starts at the first AUG following the cap, the 22S mRNA encodes a Mr 67,000 polypeptide that is terminated by a UGA stop codon located immediately before the splice, whereas the 13S mRNA encodes a Mr 20,000 polypeptide that is translated in different reading frames before and after the splice. The Mr 20,000 and 67,000 polypeptides correspond in molecular weight to two proteins that invariably are precipitated from infected cell extracts by antisera from animals carrying adenovirus-induced tumors.