AdV Fiber

Adenoviruses (members of the family Adenoviridae) are medium-sized (90-100 nm), nonenveloped (without an outer lipid bilayer) viruses with an icosahedral nucleocapsid containing a double stranded DNA genome. Their name derives from their initial isolation from human adenoids in 1953. Over 40 types of adenoviruses have currently been recognized. Adenoviruses have long been a popular viral vector for gene therapy due to their ability to affect both replicating and non-replicating cells, accommodate large transgenes, and code for proteins without integrating into the host cell genome. More specifically, they are used as a vehicle to administer targeted therapy, in the form of recombinant DNA or protein. This therapy has been found especially useful in treating cystic fibrosis. Entry of the adenovirus (Ad) capsids during the early stages of infection is a multistep process that includes initial attachment of the virus capsid to the cell surface followed by internalization of the virus into early endosomes. The Ad fiber protein, a complex of three apparently identical subunits, mediates the initial attachment step.