Human papillomavirus type 70 genome cloned from overlapping PCR products: complete nucleotide sequence and genomic organization

The genome of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 70 (HPV 70), isolated from a cervical condyloma, was obtained by cloning overlapping PCR products. By automated DNA sequence analysis, the genome was found to consist of 7,905 bp with a G + C content of 40%. The genomic organization showed the characteristic features shared by other sequenced HPVs. Nucleotide sequence comparison with previously known HPV types demonstrated the closest homology with HPV 68 (82%), HPV 39 (82%), HPV 18 (70%), HPV 45 (70%), and HPV 59 (70%). Comparison with seven other partially sequenced HPV 70 isolates showed homologies of between 100 and 99.5%. Cloning of overlapping PCR products and automated DNA sequence analysis was found to be a feasible method of obtaining full-length sequences of HPVs.