Simian virus 40 DNA replication, transcription, and antigen induction during infection with two adenovirus 2-SV40 hybrids that contain the entire SV40 genome.

The Ad2++hey hybrid virus population produces simian virus 40 (SV40) efficiently during lytic infection, whereas Ad2++ley does not, although both hybrids contain a complete SV40 genome. In this report, we demonstrate the synthesis of nonhydrid SV40 DNA in Ad2++HEY-infected Vero cells, but only early SV40 RNA is transcribed efficiently in Ad2++LEY-infected cells. Ad2++HEY induces SV40 U, T, and V antigens during lytic infection of African green monkey kidney cells, whereas Ad2++LEY induces only SV40 U and T antigens. These variations in the behavior of Ad2++HEY and Ad2++LEY regarding expression of SV40 functions probably reflect differences in the rate of SV40 excision from the hybrid genomes.