A method for providing an adenovirus from a serotype which does not grow
efficiently in a desired cell line with the ability to grow in that cell
line is described. The method involves replacing the left and right
termini of the adenovirus with the corresponding termini from an
adenovirus which grow efficiently in the desired cell line. At a minimum,
the left terminus spans the (5') inverted terminal repeat, the left
terminus spans the E4 region and the (3') inverted terminal repeat. The
resulting chimeric adenovirus contains the internal regions spanning the
genes encoding the penton, hexon and fiber from the serotype which does
not grow efficiently in the desired cell. Also provided are vectors
constructed from novel simian adenovirus sequences and proteins, host
cells containing same, and uses thereof.