Molecular cloning of a new variant of human papillomavirus type 6 isolated from a Chinese woman and expression of its L1 gene in E. coli--molecular cloning & expression of HPV6 gene.

A human papillomavirus genome DNA of 7.9 kb from a Chinese woman with genital condyloma acuminata was cloned in BamHI site of pAT153. According to the results obtained from Southern blotting, restriction mapping as well as partial DNA sequencing, the isolated genome (HPV6BV) had obvious variance and was referred to as a new variant of HPV6 found in China the first time. HPV6BV L1 gene was successfully expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein with pUR288. The beta-galactosidase/L1 fusion protein reacted with both beta-galactosidase antiserum and HPV antibody using Western blot technique. The E. coli-produced fusion protein, possessing HPV antigenicity, may provide a reagent for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological survey.