Genomic and bioinformatics analysis of HAdV-7, a human adenovirus of species B1 that causes acute respiratory disease: implications for vector development in human gene therapy.

Human adenovirus serotype 7 (HAdV-7) is a reemerging pathogen identified in acute respiratory disease (ARD), particularly in epidemics affecting basic military trainee populations of otherwise healthy young adults. The genome has been sequenced and annotated (GenBank accession no. AY594255). Comparative genomics and bioinformatics analyses of the HAdV-7 genome sequence provide insight into its natural history and phylogenetic relationships. A putative origin of HAdV-7 from a chimpanzee host is observed. This has implications within the current biotechnological interest of using chimpanzee adenoviruses as vectors for human gene therapy and DNA vaccine delivery. Rapid genome sequencing and analyses of this species B1 member provide an example of exploiting accurate low-pass DNA sequencing technology in pathogen characterization and epidemic outbreak surveillance through the identification, validation, and application of unique pathogen genome signatures.