Adenovirus core protein VII displays a linear epitope conserved in a rangeof human adenoviruses

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) which recognized a linear epitope on polypeptid e VII of human adenovirus (Ad) serotype 4 also interacted with polypeptides VII of Ad serotypes 2, 5, 7 and 10, but not with 12 and 40, in Western blo tting, Utilizing a hexapeptide phage display library, the MAb was found to recognize the consensus sequence RXYXPX, A peptide based on a similar seque nce from Ad2, viz, VEEARNYTPTPPPV, was synthesized and shown to inhibit bin ding of the MAb to polypeptide VII, Direct sequencing of the Ad4 polypeptid e VII gene validated these observations, the sequence RNYTPA being detected , Comparison with gene sequences from other Ads indicates that this sequenc e is preserved in polypeptide VII of types 2 and 5 but in types 12 and 40 i nsertion of another residue disrupts this motif.