SEQUENCE VARIATION IN THE EARLY GENES E1-BOOLEAN-AND-E4, E6 AND E7 OFHUMAN PAPILLOMA-VIRUS TYPE-6

The majority of condylomata acuminata (anogenital warts) are caused by infection with Human Papilloma Virus type 6 (HPV-6). We have sequence d the HPV-6 early genes, E1<^>E4, E6 and E7 from wart biopsy DNA sampl es sourced from the UK and USA and derived a consensus sequence for th ese genes and the proteins they encode. When compared to the prototype HPV-6b sequence, published over 12 years ago, the E1<^>E4 consensus s equence showed 3/91 (3.3%) amino acid changes, the E6 consensus sequen ce showed 1/150 (0.7%) changes and the E7 consensus sequence showed 1/ 98 (1.0%) changes. Since many of the early gene sequences from biopsy material were more similar to the HPV-6a subtype than HPV-6b, this dat a supports the use of HPV-6a as the HPV-6 prototype. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.