Transcription and replication of viral deoxyribonucleic acid in cells coinfected with adenovirus types 2 and 12.

The yield of infectious virus was determined for KB cells infected with both adenovirus types 2 (ad 2) and 12 (ad 12). It was found that the yield of the former was greatly reduced, whereas that of the latter was not affected significantly. The reduction in virus yield was accompanied by an inhibition of ad 2 virus-specific ribonucleic acid (RNA) and viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis at various times after infection. On the other hand, the rate of synthesis of ad 12 virus-specific RNA and viral DNA was not inhibited, but advanced in time. The total amount of ad 12 viral DNA synthesized was not affected by coinfection with ad 2. These results suggest that ad 2 infection hastens the maturation of ad 12.