title: A new papillomavirus of possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) associated with typical wart-like papillomas.
abstract: A previously unknown, cutaneous papillomavirus (Papovaviridae) in a brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) was demonstrated. This represents one of the first viruses reported in this species. Possum papillomas were identified by typical wart-like appearance and histology. Papillomavirus particles were detected by electron microscopy in tissue homogenates following purification and negative staining. The polymerase chain reaction amplified a conserved portion of the L1 gene which was purified and sequenced. Comparison of the DNA and deduced amino acid sequence from the possum papillomavirus with other papillomavirus sequences, together with phylogenetic analysis, indicated that this was a new papillomavirus.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Perrott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meers
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Greening
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Lugton
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wilks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009893:Opossums / Q000821:virology*; D010212:Papilloma / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014860:Warts / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology