RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Kennedy, Iain M. A1 Simpson, Stuart A1 Macnab, Joan C. M. A1 Clements, J. BarklieYR 1987 T1 Human Papillomavirus Type 16 DNA from a Vulvar Carcinoma in situ is present as head-to-Tail Dimeric Episomes with a Deletion in the Non-coding Region JF Journal of General Virology, VO 68 IS 2 SP 451 OP 462 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-68-2-451 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB SUMMARY A number of genital cancer biopsy samples were screened for the presence of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA sequences. One of these samples (a vulvar carcinoma in situ) was found to contain more than 100 copies of HPV-16 DNA sequences per cell. Using this tumour DNA, a genomic library was constructed in bacteriophage lambda and the library was screened for recombinant phage containing HPV-16 sequences. Five recombinant phage clones were isolated and their DNA was analysed by restriction endonuclease digestion and blot hybridization. All five recombinants contained two copies of the HPV-16 genome present in a head-to-tail arrangement. The data are consistent with the presence of HPV-16 sequences in the tumour DNA arranged as genomic dimers in a circular episomal configuration. The HPV-16 genomes contained a deletion within the non-coding region, a region which includes the viral origin of DNA replication and transcriptional control sequences. Possible consequences of this deletion for viral replication and transcription are discussed., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-68-2-451