title: Expression of human papillomavirus type 6 and type 16 capsid proteins in bacteria and their antigenic characterization.
abstract: The L1 and L2 capsid proteins encoded by human papillomavirus types 6 and 16 (HPV-6 and HPV-16) have been synthesized in bacteria. Antisera were raised against the HPV-6 L1- and L2-beta-galactosidase fusion proteins and against an HPV-16 L1 C-terminal peptide which was 14 amino acids long. The HPV-16 L1 peptide antibodies have been shown to be highly reactive with the HPV-16 L1-beta-galactosidase protein but not against the equivalent HPV-6 L1-beta-galactosidase fusion protein. The effectiveness of these antibodies was compared with commercially available antibovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) antibodies and the results demonstrated that the anti-BPV-1 antibodies reacted well against HPV-6 L1-beta-galactosidase but not against HPV-16 L1-beta-galactosidase. In addition, the L2 portion of the HPV-6 L2-beta-galactosidase fusion protein appeared particularly immunogenic, since antibodies raised against this fusion protein were predominantly reactive with the L2 moiety. The HPV-16 L1 peptide antibodies described here will be preferred reagents for the specific detection of HPV-16 capsid antigens, which may be particularly important in early diagnosis of HPV-16 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Virology, Wellcome Research Laboatories, Kent, U.K.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matlashewski
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pim
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Churcher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D002213:Capsid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins