Elsevier

Virology

Volume 445, Issues 1–2, October 2013, Pages 138-168
Virology

The papillomavirus E7 proteins

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2013.04.013Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • The HPV E7 ORF encodes an accessory protein.

  • E7 has important activities for the viral life cycle.

  • E7 proteins encoded by cancer-associated HPVs have oncogenic activities.

  • This is a comprehensive review of the published studies on HPV E7.

Abstract

E7 is an accessory protein that is not encoded by all papillomaviruses. The E7 amino terminus contains two regions of similarity to conserved regions 1 and 2 of the adenovirus E1A protein, which are also conserved in the simian vacuolating virus 40 large tumor antigen. The E7 carboxyl terminus consists of a zinc-binding motif, which is related to similar motifs in E6 proteins. E7 proteins play a central role in the human papillomavirus life cycle, reprogramming the cellular environment to be conducive to viral replication. E7 proteins encoded by the cancer-associated alpha human papillomaviruses have potent transforming activities, which together with E6, are necessary but not sufficient to render their host squamous epithelial cell tumorigenic. This article strives to provide a comprehensive summary of the published research studies on human papillomavirus E7 proteins.

Keywords

Viral life cycle
Regulation of transcription
Regulation of cell cycle checkpoints
Transformation
Viral oncology
Cervical cancer

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