Adenovirus core protein VII displays a linear epitope conserved in a range of human adenoviruses

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) which recognized a linear epitope on polypeptide VII of human adenovirus (Ad) serotype 4 also interacted with polypeptides VII of Ad serotypes 2, 5, 7 and 10, but not with 12 and 40, in Western blotting. Utilizing a hexapeptide phage display library, the MAb was found to recognize the consensus sequence RXYXPX. A peptide based on a similar sequence from Ad2, viz. VEEARNYTPTPPPV, was synthesized and shown to inhibit binding of the MAb to polypeptide VII. Direct sequencing of the Ad4 polypeptide VII gene validated these observations, the sequence RNYTPA being detected. Comparison with gene sequences from other Ads indicates that this sequence is preserved in polypeptide VII of types 2 and 5 but in types 12 and 40 insertion of another residue disrupts this motif.