Molecular variants of human papillomavirus: impact on viral life cycle and persistence

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that infects coating tissues of the body such as skin. More than 200 types have been identified and a subset of these HPVs can "transform" healthy tissue from a benign to a malignant state. This occurs only in approximately one of a hundred infected individuals and is related to the ability of HPV to persist in the host. In particular one HPV of the transforming types is more prone to persist than other types, which may be caused by "variants" in its DNA genome. This HPV is also most prevalent worldwide. By analyzing the activities of variants of this specific type during the viral life cycle we will comprehend the role viral variants play in persistence. This proposal addresses a basic, central theme of virus biology. The concept that viral variants drive evolution by impacting on viral drift and shift to ensure viral progeny has not been tested previously and will potentially lead to new discoveries.