REPLICATING ADENOVIRUS-2 DNA-MOLECULES CONTAIN TERMINAL PROTEIN

The type 2 adenovirus chromosome is a linear double-stranded DNA molecule with a 55,000-dalton protein, called terminal protein, covalently joined to each 5′ end. Using a quantitative filter-binding assay for the adenovirus DNA-terminal protein complex, we have shown that adenovirus DNA molecules contain a terminal protein in infected cells. Moreover, we have presented evidence that the terminal protein is linked to parental as well as newly synthesized strands in replicating viral DNA. An equation relating the number of growing points per replicating molecule to the fraction of pulse-labeled DNA retained on filters after cleavage with a restriction endonuclease has been derived. We have calculated an average of 1.6 ± 0.2 growing points per molecule using the equation. © 1979.