Host-range mutants of adenovirus type 5 defective for growth in HeLa cells

Host-range mutants of adenovirus type 5 have been selected on human embryo kidney cells transformed by sheared adeno 5 DNA (293 cells). These mutants grow well on 293 cells, but are restricted on HeLa cells. By complementation tests on HeLa cells, these mutants were classified into two groups, neither of which was found to correspond to any of the 17 temperature-sensitive complementation groups. Members of the two complementation groups of host-range mutants differ in their host range on other cell types: Members of one group grow only on 293 cells, while those of the other group on both normal and transformed human embryo kidney cells. In the second group, cell-associated adeno gene functions are not needed for mutant growth, but, with the other group, it is possible that an adeno gene product made in the transformed cell complements the growth of the mutants. Recombination tests carried out with the host-range mutants and Ad5 temperature-sensitive mutants indicate that the host-range mutations map within the left half of the genetic map and that some (hr 1 and hr 2) probably lie very close to the left end of the map. The results presented in this communication are briefly discussed in relation to recent unpublished work concerning the biochemical characteristics of the mutants and the transformed 293 cells and to the role of adeno genes in transformation.