[Modification of HPV type 16 E6 and E7 genes, and analysis of stability and immunogenicity of the modified proteins].
BACKGROUND
To select the mutants of HPV type 16 E6 and E7 genes suitable for construction of vaccine for treatment of cervical cancer.


METHODS
E6 and E7 genes were modified by site-directed mutagenesis. Several recombinant vaccina viruses were constructed by inserting the E6 or E7 mutants into the genome of vaccina virus Tiantan strain and employed to study their antigenicity.


RESULTS
Western blot assay showed that the E6 ?mutant? with substitution of Gly for Leu at amino acid site 50 and E7 mutant with substitution of Gly for Cys-24 and Glu-26 had no effect on their stability and antigenicity, but change of the Cys at position 91 of E7 dramatically reduced its stability and antigencity. Conclusion The results confirmed that the Zinc-finger structure at the E7 C-terminal? plays an important role in the integrity and stability of E7 protein.
Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing 100052, China.
Huijun
H
Zhi
Liqun
L
Han
Jiao
J
Ren
Houwen
H
Tian
Weifing
W
Luo
Yu
Y
Liang
Li
L
Ruan
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16