Conserved Features in Papillomavirus and

1Department of Biological Capsids of papilloma and polyoma viruses (papovavirus family) are composed of 72 pentameric capsomeres arranged on a skewed icosahedralSciences, Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907 lattice (triangulation number of seven, T = 7). Cottontail rabbit papillo-USA mavirus (CRPV) was reported previously to be a T = 7laevo (left-handed) structure, whereas human wart virus, simian virus 40, and murine2Departments of Pathology polyomavirus were shown to be T = 7dextro (right-handed). The CRPV and Microbiology and structure determined by cryoelectron microscopy and image reconstruction Immunology, Hershey Medical was similar to previously determined structures of bovine papillomavirus Center, Hershey, PA 17033 type 1 (BPV-1) and human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV-1). CRPV capsids USA were observed in closed (compact) and open (swollen) forms. Both form