Analysis of the interaction of the adenovirus L1 52/55-kilodalton and IVa2 proteins with the packaging sequence

We previously showed that the adenovirus IVa2 and L1 52/55-kDa proteins interact in infected cells and the IVa2 protein is part of two virus-specific complexes (x and y) formed in vitro with repeated elements of the packaging sequence called the A1-A2 repeats. Here we demonstrate that both the IVa2 and L1 52/55-kDa proteins bind in vivo to the packaging sequence and that each protein-DNA interaction is independent of the other. There is a strong and direct interaction of the IVa2 protein with DNA in vitro. This interaction is observed when probes containing the A1-A2 or A4-A5 repeats are used, but it is not found by using an A5-A6 probe. Furthermore, we show that complex x is likely a heterodimer of IVa2 and an unknown viral protein, while complex y is a monomer or multimer of IVa2. No in vitro interaction of purified L1 52/55-kDa protein with the packaging sequence was found, suggesting that the L1 52/55-kDa protein–DNA interaction may be mediated by an intermediate protein. Results support roles for both the L1 52/55-kDa and IVa2 proteins in DNA encapsidation. Assembly of adenovirus particles is a multistep process that occurs in the nucleus, where the replication of viral DNA coupled with the accumulation of large quantities of viral struc-tural polypeptides sets the stage for virus assembly (2, 39). I