Structural polypeptides of rabbit, bovine, and human papillomaviruses

The number and apparent molecular weight of the structural polypeptides of Shope rabbit papilloma virus (RPV), bovine papilloma virus (BPV), and human papilloma virus (HPV) were estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Up to 10 polypeptides were detected in highly purified BPV and HPV full particles; a close homology was found between the polypeptide composition of both viruses. Purified RPV virions gave a similar polypeptide pattern. The main components of the three papillomaviruses are the major polypeptide (VP1) with a mol wt of approximately 54,000 and the three smaller polypeptides (VP8, 9, 10) with mol wt of about 16,500, 15,500 and 12,500, respectively. VP8, VP9, and VP10 are never detected in empty capsids. When BPV virions were disrupted with alkaline buffer, the six lower-molecular-weight polypeptides (VP5 to 10) remained associated with viral DNA. This suggests that they are internal components of the virions and that the four higher-molecular-weight polypeptides (VP1 to 4) may represent external components. The polypeptide compositions of BPV and polyoma virus, another papovavirus, have been compared. The number of BPV and polyoma virus components (10 and 6, respectively) and the molecular weight of their major polypeptide (54,000 and 44,500, respectively) are different; however, the three main DNA-associated polypeptides of BPV (VP8, 9, 10) and the three histone-like components of polyoma virus (VP4, 5, 6) were shown to have identical apparent molecular weights. The possibility that some of the minor components of papillomaviruses may be proteolytic degradation products or cell protein contaiminants is discussed.