Construction of First-Generation Adenoviral Vectors

Adenoviruses (Ads) possess several features that make them attractive as mammalian gene transfer vectors. They can efficiently infect a wide variety of quiescent and proliferating cell types from various species to direct high-level viral gene expression, their 36-kb double-stranded DNA genome can be manipulated with relative ease by conventional molecular biology techniques, and they can be readily propagated and purified to yield high-titer preparations of very stable virus. Consequently, Ads have been extensively used as vectors for recombinant vaccines, for high-level protein production in cultured cells and for gene therapy (1–4).