The gene for polypeptide IX of human adenovirus type 7

This paper describes the nucleotide sequence of subgroup B human adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) between positions 3351-4010, and of cloned cDNA derived from mRNAs encoded by this segment. One of these (mRNA VII) is shown to be unspliced, and has its 5'- and 3'-ends encoded by positions 3460 (determined by the nuclease S1 technique) and 3939, respectively. The mRNA sequence contains a single open reading frame for protein biosynthesis between the first available initiation triplet AUG at position 3481 to the stop codon UAA at position 3895. It can specify a polypeptide of 138 amino acids (14 098 daltons) which must be polypeptide IX of Ad7, as is evident from its mapping position, and from a comparison with the sequence of the protein IX gene of subgroup C adenovirus type 5.