NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE AND PHYLOGENETIC CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-59

The complete nucleotide sequence of the HPV 59 DNA genome, isolated fr om a vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, was determined. It consists of 7896 nucleotides. A comparative analysis of this sequence with the seq uences of other HPV types revealed the closest homology to HPV 18 (71% ), HPV 45 (70%), and HPV 39 (69%). Phylogenetic analysis of the comple te L1 ORFs of HPV 59 and other papillomaviruses exclusively groups all HPVs which have been detected in mucosal lesions into one major branc h. This major branch, in turn, includes two specific subgroups contain ing all high risk viruses associated with malignant mucosal lesions. T he motif in the L2 ORF thr-thr-pre-ala-val/ile-leu/ile-asp/asn-val/ile , an extension of a previously reported mucosal motif, is highly conse rved in all HPV types detected in mucosal lesions, whereas it is total ly absent in those viruses exclusively associated with cutaneous lesio ns, (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.