Adenovirus E1A targets key regulators of cell proliferation.

Studies of E1A support the notion that small DNA tumour viruses target cellular pathways at key points that are amenable to regulation. In the case of E1A, these targets appear to be points of control of cellular proliferation and, in particular, proteins that regulate the progression of cells from G0 and G1 phases of the cell cycle into the S phase. In several cases, recent studies have identified complexes between the viral targets and other cellular proteins. These interactions may provide insight not only into the mechanism of E1A mediated transformation but also into the control of proliferation in normal cells.