Adenovirus [2/6&20/11]

Adenoviruses are non-enveloped icosahedral viruses that can cause respiratory illness, infantile gastroenteritis and other mild disorders such as conjunctivitis. Adenoviruses are approximately 70-90nm in diameter, containing linear double-stranded DNA. Adenoviruses are very resistant and can withstand adverse pH conditions and treatment with chemical or physical agents. The features of Adenoviruses have made them a useful tool for gene transfection and expression in mammalian cells. Due to their infectivity to both quiescent and proliferating cells, Adenoviruses have been used as vectors in vaccination and in gene therapy 1,2. The genome of the Adenovirus is well known and can be engineered by either removing essential genes thereby rendering its replicative capacity defective or by inserting genes into the virus which can affect metabolic or enzymatic pathways in the host.