Vol. 65, No. 3
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Mar. 1991, p. 1578-1583 0022-538X/91/031578-06$02.00/0 Copyright C 1991, American Society for Microbiology
Characterization of Murine Polyclonal Antisera and Monoclonal Antibodies Generated against Intact and Denatured Human Papillomavirus Type 1 Virions NOBUO YAEGASHI,' STEVEN A. JENISON,1* JANETTE M. VALENTINE,1 MAUREEN DUNN,2 LORNE B. TAICHMAN,3 DAVID A. BAKER,2 AND DENISE A. GALLOWAY1'4 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 981041; Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 981954; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine,2 and Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry,3 State University of
New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794 Received 13 August 1990/Accepted 4 December 1990
Human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV1) virions, both as intact virion particles (IVP) and as detergentdenatured virions (DDV), were used to prepare polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in BALB/c mice. Anti-IVP antiserum contained type-specific HPV1 L2-reactive antibodies and no detectable HPV1 Ll-reactive antibodies. Anti-IVP MAbs recognized a linear epitope between L2 amino acids 102 and 108 (PIDVVDP). Anti-DDV antiserum contained type-specific HPV1 Ll-reactive and HPV1 L2-reactive antibodies. An anti-DDV MAb recognized a linear epitope between Li amino acids 127 and 133 (AENPTNY). HPVla Liand L2-encoded polypeptides expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by in vitro translation were equivalent in size to the major and minor virion capsid proteins, respectively. wart (19). Intact HPV1 virion particles and SDS-denatured HPV1 virions were used to prepare polyclonal antisera and
Human papillomavirus (HPV) virions are nonenveloped icosahedral particles which are 55 nm in diameter (21). Virion capsids are composed of at least two viral proteins, a major capsid protein (53 to 57 kDa) and a minor capsid protein (76 to 86 kDa). At least some if not all of the major and the minor capsid proteins are encoded by the HPV Li and L2 open reading frames (ORFs), respectively, because they react specifically with antisera generated against Liand L2-encoded recombinant proteins, respectively (7). The predicted size of an Li-encoded polypeptide is 57 kDa, which is consistent with the observed mobility of the major capsid protein upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The predicted size of an L2-encoded polypeptide is 55 kDa. However, the observed mobility of the minor capsid protein has been reported to be between 76 and 86 kDa. It is unclear whether the observed mobility of the minor capsid protein is due to an inherent property of the L2-encoded polypeptide which causes it to migrate aberrantly upon SDS-PAGE or whether it is due to the addition of high-molecular-weight moieties to the L2 polypeptide through posttranslational modification. To date, well-characterized monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) generated against HPV virions have not been described. Such reagents would be helpful in studies of virion capsid structure, HPV late-gene expression, and virion-cell interactions. In this report, we describe the characterization of murine polyclonal antisera and MAbs which were generated both against intact HPV type 1 (HPV1) virions and against SDS-denatured HPV1 virions. We also expressed the HPV1 Li and L2 coding sequences in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by in vitro translation to determine whether Li- and L2-encoded polypeptides were equivalent in size to the major and minor capsid proteins of HPV1 virions, respectively. HPV1 virions were extracted from a single large plantar
*
MAbs in BALB/c mice (10). Polyclonal antisera were prepared from the blood of each mouse at the time of sacrifice. Hybridoma culture supernatants were screened for antibody reactivities to intact HPV1 virions in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for reactivity with nuclear antigens in HPV1-containing plantar wart sections by immunohistochemical staining. Antibody specificities were further defined by testing the antibodies in Western immunoblot assays for reactivities with HPV Li- and L2-encoded polypeptides expressed in Escherichia coli (8, 13). The locations of antibody-reactive epitopes were mapped by using nested sets of deleted HPV polypeptides (14) and by using overlapping sets of synthetic oligopeptides (9). Forty-three of approximately 1,000 viable hybridomas prepared against intact HPV1 virion preparations produced antibodies which reacted with intact HPV1 virion preparations in an ELISA. Twenty-three of the ELISA-positive clones reacted with plantar wart epithelial cell nuclei and did not react with epithelial cells in sections of normal skin. Twelve of the 23 clones gave unambiguous reactions upon immunoglobulin isotyping, and these clones were selected for further study. These 12 MAbs were all immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) containing kappa light chains (mouse MAb isotyping kit; Amersham Corp., Arlington Heights, Ill.). Approximately 1,000 hybridomas prepared against disrupted virions were tested as described above. Twenty-nine clones were ELISA positive, but only one of these clones (MAb DW45) gave strong nuclear staining of HPV1-containing tissue. MAb DW45 was IgG2b containing kappa light chains. Polyclonal antisera were tested in Western immunoblot assays for IgG and IgM reactivities to HPVla Li and HPVla L2 polypeptides expressed as trpE-HPV fusion proteins in E. coli (3, 5, 6, 13, 20) (Table 1 and Fig. 1). The results are shown in Fig. 2. The polyclonal antiserum generated against intact HPV1 virions contained IgG antibodies which reacted
Corresponding author. 1578
VOL. 65,
1991
NOTES
1579
TABLE 1. HPV expression plasmids ORF (HPV type)
Expression plasmid
Li la la la la 5 6b 11 16 18 31 33
pYlLl plLl plLlBBl plLlBHl pSLlHHl p6LlXHl pllLlXN1 pl6LlBNl pl8LlXX1 p31LlHHl p33LlHHl
----(5431) ----(6939)a ----(5431) ----(6939)a BgII (5582)-BglII (6358) BgII (6358)-HpaII (7308) HpaII (5969)-HpaII (7571) XbaI (5903)-HpaII (7862) XbaI (5885)-NsiI (232) BstNI (5529)-NsiI (253) XbaI (5730)-XbaI (321) HincIlI (5519)-HincIl (215) HpaII (6011)-HpaII (689)
pBS24.1 (BamHI-SalI) pATHll (EcoRI-SalI) pATHl (BamHI-BamHI) pATHll (BamHI-ClaI) pATH10 (ClaI-ClaI) pATHll (XbaI-ClaI) pATHll (XbaI-PstI) pATHll (SmaI-PstI) pATHll (XbaI-XbaI) pATH10 (SmaI-SmaI) pATH10 (ClaI-ClaI)
pYlL2 plL2
----(3897) ----(5420)a ----(3897) ----(5420)a SspI (4016)-BglII (5582) NcoI (4421)-XhoII (6013) HindIll (4557)-HpaII (6552) OxaNI (4335)-BamHI (6151) OxaNI (4342)-OxaNI (5800)
pBS24.1 (BamHI-SalI) pATHll (EcoRI-SalI) pATHll (EcoRI-BamiHI) pATHll (EcoRI-BamiHI) pATH10 (HindIII-ClaI) pATHl (EcoRI-HindIII) pATHl (HindIII-EcoRI)
L2 la la la 6b 11 16 18 a
Restriction sites
plL2SBl p6L2NXl pllL2HHl
pl6L2OBl p18L2001
Vector
The HPV DNA inserts in these expression plasmids were generated by using the polymerase chain reaction.
3894 3897
ATG
5420
HPV1 L2 ORF
4
TAA 5347 5431
A
HPV1 Li ORF
I
1
+
ATG
3897
B
6'939
4
TTAG
C
pYlL2 and plL2
plL2SBl 40161- 14222
plL2SEx4222
4016 I-4183 plL2SEx4183
pYlLi and pILl
5431
55821
pILIBBI
16358 piLl BH1
6358 5582 i
I
5582 1-
5582
6045
5998
5582
5851
1-4 5812
6939
p1
17308
Li BEx6O45
piLl BEx5998
pIL1BEx5851 piLl BEx5812
FIG. 1. Map of HPVla DNA fragments present in bacterial and yeast expression plasmids. The HPVla Li and L2 ORFs are represented as boxes. The nucleotide coordinates of the 5' ORF boundaries, the translation initiation codons (ATG), and the translation termination codons (TAA or TAG) are indicated (3, 5, 6, 20). The boxes labeled A, B, and C mark the locations of coding sequences for the HPV1 L2 MAb-reactive epitope, the HPV1 Li MAb-reactive epitope, and a rabbit anti-BPV1 antibody reactive region, respectively. The DNA fragments present in the expression plasmids which defined the immunoreactive regions are indicated as lines below the ORFs. The nucleotide coordinates of the ends of the fragments are indicated (see Table 1 for a complete description of the expression plasmids and Fig. 3 and 4 for details of the mapping of the immunoreactive regions).
1580
J. VIROL. NOTESJ.VO.
with the HPVia L2 fusion protein. No reactivities to the HPVla Li fusion protein were detected. Polyclonal antiserum generated against SDS-disrupted HPV1 virions contained IgG and IgM antibodies which reacted with the HPVla Li fusion protein and IgG antibodies which reacted with the HPVla L2 fusion protein. Both the L2 and the Li polyclonal antibody reactivities appeared to be relatively HPV type specific because they did not react with homologous L2 and Li fusion proteins encoded by HPV type 6b, ii, 16, or 18 (Table 1 and Fig. 2). The 12 MAbs generated against intact virions reacted specifically with the HPVia L2 fusion protein piL2 and not with L2 fusion pr'oteins encoded by HPV type 6b, ii, 16, or 18. These MAbs did not react with the HPVia Li-encoded proteins or with Li proteins encoded by the other HPV types (data not shown). The MAb (DPW45) genierated against SDS-disrupted virions reacted with the, HPV1a Li fusion protein. piLl and not with Li fusion proteins encoded by HPV type 5, 6b, 11, 16, 18, 31, or 33 (Table 1). DW45 did not react with the L2-encoded fusion proteins (data not shown). Immunoreactive regions of the HPV1a Li and L2 polypeptides which were recognized by the HPV1 MAbs a'nd by rabbit polyclonal antiserum generated against SDS-denatured bovine paplillomavirus type 1 (rabbit anti-BPV1 antiserum; Dako Corp., San'ta Barbara, Calif.) were mapped by using nested sets of deleted expression plasmids (14). Rabbit anti-BPVi antiserum cross-r'eacts with SDS-denatured yiinons of other animal and human papillomavirus types (16) and reacts with Li polypeptides encoded by HPV1a, -6b, -11, -16, and .-18 (14). Unidirectional 3'-to-5' deletions were made in' the HPV DNA ins'erts of the bacterial expression plasmids by using exonuclease III and nuclease S1 (S1) according to the protocol of Henikoff (11). Plasm'ids derived from the exonuclease ITT-Si deletions expressed nested sets of fusion proteins sequentially deleted from the carboxy toward the amino terminus of the HPV-encoded polypeptide. The deleted fusion proteins were reacted with the antibodies in a Western immnunoblot assay to determine the carboxy boundary of the immunoreactive region (14). The HPVla L2 polypeptide segment recognized by all 12 MAbs generated against intact HPV1 virions mapped to the same location. The MAbs reacted with the p1L2Ex4222 fusion protein (3' end at HPV1a coordinate 4222) and la'rger fusio'n proteins and failed to react with the p1L2Ex4183 fusion protein (3' end at coordinate 4183) and smaller fusion proteins (Fig. 3). This placed the 3' boundary of the immunoreactive region-coding segment between nucleotide (nt) 4183 and nt4222. This DNA segment encodes HPV1 L2 amino acids (aa) 95 through 108 (measured from the first L2 methionine codon). The HPV1 L2 epitope was further localized by reacting the MAbs in an ELISA with a set of overlapping peptides (hexamers) which spanned the region from aa88 through aali8 (9, 14). The hexapeptides were synthesized on polyethylene pins by using a commercially available kit (9) (Epitope Scanning Kit; Cambridge Research Biochemicals, Wilmington, Del.). The MAbs reacted with two adjacent hexapeptides, one which included aalO2 to aalO7 and the other which included aalO3 to aalO8 (Fig. 3). Therefore, the HPV1 L2-reactive MAbs recognized a linear amino acid. sequence which lies between aalO2 and aaiO8 (Pro-Ile-Asp-Val-Val-Asp-Pro). The HPVla L2 amino acid sequence was aligned with the L2 sequences of BPV1 and HPV types 5, 6b, ii, 16, 18, 31, and 33 by using the hierarchical clustering algorithm of Corpet (4). The MAbreactive epitope (aa1O2 to aa1O7) is contained within an 11-amino-acid HPVla L2 segment (aalOO to aa11O) which
CuQ -J
C'J CNJ \] C\J Q-
Cl
'a 'a
FCL
43-
2--
B 68--
43-
C
97--
68-43--
D
97 68--
43-
F 68-
FIG. 2. Antibody reactivities of murine polyclonal antisera generated against intact and denatured HPV1 virions. Immune polyclonal antisera were reacted in Western immunoblot assays with bacterial recombinant proteins encoded by the Li and L2 ORFs of HPV types la, 6b, 11, 16, and 18 (see Table 1 for identification of the bacterial recombinant proteins). (A) Coomassie blue-stained SDS12.5% polyacrylamide gel of whole bacterial lysates. (B and C) Replicate Western immunoblots which were reacted with antiserum generated against intact virions. (D and E) Western immunoblots which were reacted with antiserum generated against SDS-denatured virions. Antigen-antibody complexes were detected by using either anti-IgG antiserum (B and D) or anti-IgM antiserum (C and E). Molecular size standards (in kilodaltons) are on the left.
VOL. 65, 1991
NOTES
C\Jcx
1;
I t
C\J W]LL
c-j
3 ~~
1
3
5
7
~
9
~
11
13 15 17 19 21
25
Peptide Number FIG. 3. Mapping of the immunoreactive region rec -ognized by MAb W275. The immunoreactive region of the HPVla IL2pognied tide recognized by MAb W275 was mapped by using a n ested set of fusion proteins which were serially deleted from the carb oxy toward the amino terminus (clones A through J). (A) Coomiassie bluestained SDS-12.5% polyacrylamide gel of whole bacte-rial lysates which contain these fusion proteins (the positions of the fusion proteins are marked with arrows). (B) Replicate Westeirn immunoblot which was reacted with MAb W275. The nucleotide cooramIates of the 3' ends of the HPV1 L2 inserts in clones H and I a]re indicated (see also Fig. 1). Molecular size standards (in kilodaltonsi) are on the left. The immunoreactive epitope was localized further by reacting MAb W275 in an ELISA with a set of overlapping h4 exapeptides which spanned the region defined by exonuclease III-*S1 deletion mapping (C). In panel C, the x axis indicates the assigne-d hexapeptide number and the y axis represents the optical denisity (O.D.)
(Fig. 5).
the
same
These
Li-
and
L2-encoded
yeast polypeptides
had
apparent molecular weights on SDS-12.5% PAGE
the major and minor capsid proteins of HPVla virions, respectively (data not shown). The HPVla Li and L2 coding sequences were transcribed in vitro by bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase from transcription vector pBS(+) (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.). The Li-encoded and L2-encoded RNAs, respectively, were as
value obtained by reacting MAb W275 with that hexapeptide in an ELISA. The map displays selected hexapeptide sequences. The MAb W275-reactive hexapeptides are underlined, and the limits of the immunoreactive region are indicated on the extended amino acid sequence at the top of the map.
J. VIROL.
NOTES
1582
WC)aOC 'r0(g
0
cm m
-)
(0OL) )< >
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Mar. 1991, p. 1578-1583 0022-538X/91/031578-06$02.00/0 Copyright C 1991, American Society for Microbiology
Characterization of Murine Polyclonal Antisera and Monoclonal Antibodies Generated against Intact and Denatured Human Papillomavirus Type 1 Virions NOBUO YAEGASHI,' STEVEN A. JENISON,1* JANETTE M. VALENTINE,1 MAUREEN DUNN,2 LORNE B. TAICHMAN,3 DAVID A. BAKER,2 AND DENISE A. GALLOWAY1'4 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 981041; Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 981954; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine,2 and Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry,3 State University of
New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794 Received 13 August 1990/Accepted 4 December 1990
Human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV1) virions, both as intact virion particles (IVP) and as detergentdenatured virions (DDV), were used to prepare polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in BALB/c mice. Anti-IVP antiserum contained type-specific HPV1 L2-reactive antibodies and no detectable HPV1 Ll-reactive antibodies. Anti-IVP MAbs recognized a linear epitope between L2 amino acids 102 and 108 (PIDVVDP). Anti-DDV antiserum contained type-specific HPV1 Ll-reactive and HPV1 L2-reactive antibodies. An anti-DDV MAb recognized a linear epitope between Li amino acids 127 and 133 (AENPTNY). HPVla Liand L2-encoded polypeptides expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by in vitro translation were equivalent in size to the major and minor virion capsid proteins, respectively. wart (19). Intact HPV1 virion particles and SDS-denatured HPV1 virions were used to prepare polyclonal antisera and
Human papillomavirus (HPV) virions are nonenveloped icosahedral particles which are 55 nm in diameter (21). Virion capsids are composed of at least two viral proteins, a major capsid protein (53 to 57 kDa) and a minor capsid protein (76 to 86 kDa). At least some if not all of the major and the minor capsid proteins are encoded by the HPV Li and L2 open reading frames (ORFs), respectively, because they react specifically with antisera generated against Liand L2-encoded recombinant proteins, respectively (7). The predicted size of an Li-encoded polypeptide is 57 kDa, which is consistent with the observed mobility of the major capsid protein upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The predicted size of an L2-encoded polypeptide is 55 kDa. However, the observed mobility of the minor capsid protein has been reported to be between 76 and 86 kDa. It is unclear whether the observed mobility of the minor capsid protein is due to an inherent property of the L2-encoded polypeptide which causes it to migrate aberrantly upon SDS-PAGE or whether it is due to the addition of high-molecular-weight moieties to the L2 polypeptide through posttranslational modification. To date, well-characterized monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) generated against HPV virions have not been described. Such reagents would be helpful in studies of virion capsid structure, HPV late-gene expression, and virion-cell interactions. In this report, we describe the characterization of murine polyclonal antisera and MAbs which were generated both against intact HPV type 1 (HPV1) virions and against SDS-denatured HPV1 virions. We also expressed the HPV1 Li and L2 coding sequences in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by in vitro translation to determine whether Li- and L2-encoded polypeptides were equivalent in size to the major and minor capsid proteins of HPV1 virions, respectively. HPV1 virions were extracted from a single large plantar
*
MAbs in BALB/c mice (10). Polyclonal antisera were prepared from the blood of each mouse at the time of sacrifice. Hybridoma culture supernatants were screened for antibody reactivities to intact HPV1 virions in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for reactivity with nuclear antigens in HPV1-containing plantar wart sections by immunohistochemical staining. Antibody specificities were further defined by testing the antibodies in Western immunoblot assays for reactivities with HPV Li- and L2-encoded polypeptides expressed in Escherichia coli (8, 13). The locations of antibody-reactive epitopes were mapped by using nested sets of deleted HPV polypeptides (14) and by using overlapping sets of synthetic oligopeptides (9). Forty-three of approximately 1,000 viable hybridomas prepared against intact HPV1 virion preparations produced antibodies which reacted with intact HPV1 virion preparations in an ELISA. Twenty-three of the ELISA-positive clones reacted with plantar wart epithelial cell nuclei and did not react with epithelial cells in sections of normal skin. Twelve of the 23 clones gave unambiguous reactions upon immunoglobulin isotyping, and these clones were selected for further study. These 12 MAbs were all immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) containing kappa light chains (mouse MAb isotyping kit; Amersham Corp., Arlington Heights, Ill.). Approximately 1,000 hybridomas prepared against disrupted virions were tested as described above. Twenty-nine clones were ELISA positive, but only one of these clones (MAb DW45) gave strong nuclear staining of HPV1-containing tissue. MAb DW45 was IgG2b containing kappa light chains. Polyclonal antisera were tested in Western immunoblot assays for IgG and IgM reactivities to HPVla Li and HPVla L2 polypeptides expressed as trpE-HPV fusion proteins in E. coli (3, 5, 6, 13, 20) (Table 1 and Fig. 1). The results are shown in Fig. 2. The polyclonal antiserum generated against intact HPV1 virions contained IgG antibodies which reacted
Corresponding author. 1578
VOL. 65,
1991
NOTES
1579
TABLE 1. HPV expression plasmids ORF (HPV type)
Expression plasmid
Li la la la la 5 6b 11 16 18 31 33
pYlLl plLl plLlBBl plLlBHl pSLlHHl p6LlXHl pllLlXN1 pl6LlBNl pl8LlXX1 p31LlHHl p33LlHHl
----(5431) ----(6939)a ----(5431) ----(6939)a BgII (5582)-BglII (6358) BgII (6358)-HpaII (7308) HpaII (5969)-HpaII (7571) XbaI (5903)-HpaII (7862) XbaI (5885)-NsiI (232) BstNI (5529)-NsiI (253) XbaI (5730)-XbaI (321) HincIlI (5519)-HincIl (215) HpaII (6011)-HpaII (689)
pBS24.1 (BamHI-SalI) pATHll (EcoRI-SalI) pATHl (BamHI-BamHI) pATHll (BamHI-ClaI) pATH10 (ClaI-ClaI) pATHll (XbaI-ClaI) pATHll (XbaI-PstI) pATHll (SmaI-PstI) pATHll (XbaI-XbaI) pATH10 (SmaI-SmaI) pATH10 (ClaI-ClaI)
pYlL2 plL2
----(3897) ----(5420)a ----(3897) ----(5420)a SspI (4016)-BglII (5582) NcoI (4421)-XhoII (6013) HindIll (4557)-HpaII (6552) OxaNI (4335)-BamHI (6151) OxaNI (4342)-OxaNI (5800)
pBS24.1 (BamHI-SalI) pATHll (EcoRI-SalI) pATHll (EcoRI-BamiHI) pATHll (EcoRI-BamiHI) pATH10 (HindIII-ClaI) pATHl (EcoRI-HindIII) pATHl (HindIII-EcoRI)
L2 la la la 6b 11 16 18 a
Restriction sites
plL2SBl p6L2NXl pllL2HHl
pl6L2OBl p18L2001
Vector
The HPV DNA inserts in these expression plasmids were generated by using the polymerase chain reaction.
3894 3897
ATG
5420
HPV1 L2 ORF
4
TAA 5347 5431
A
HPV1 Li ORF
I
1
+
ATG
3897
B
6'939
4
TTAG
C
pYlL2 and plL2
plL2SBl 40161- 14222
plL2SEx4222
4016 I-4183 plL2SEx4183
pYlLi and pILl
5431
55821
pILIBBI
16358 piLl BH1
6358 5582 i
I
5582 1-
5582
6045
5998
5582
5851
1-4 5812
6939
p1
17308
Li BEx6O45
piLl BEx5998
pIL1BEx5851 piLl BEx5812
FIG. 1. Map of HPVla DNA fragments present in bacterial and yeast expression plasmids. The HPVla Li and L2 ORFs are represented as boxes. The nucleotide coordinates of the 5' ORF boundaries, the translation initiation codons (ATG), and the translation termination codons (TAA or TAG) are indicated (3, 5, 6, 20). The boxes labeled A, B, and C mark the locations of coding sequences for the HPV1 L2 MAb-reactive epitope, the HPV1 Li MAb-reactive epitope, and a rabbit anti-BPV1 antibody reactive region, respectively. The DNA fragments present in the expression plasmids which defined the immunoreactive regions are indicated as lines below the ORFs. The nucleotide coordinates of the ends of the fragments are indicated (see Table 1 for a complete description of the expression plasmids and Fig. 3 and 4 for details of the mapping of the immunoreactive regions).
1580
J. VIROL. NOTESJ.VO.
with the HPVia L2 fusion protein. No reactivities to the HPVla Li fusion protein were detected. Polyclonal antiserum generated against SDS-disrupted HPV1 virions contained IgG and IgM antibodies which reacted with the HPVla Li fusion protein and IgG antibodies which reacted with the HPVla L2 fusion protein. Both the L2 and the Li polyclonal antibody reactivities appeared to be relatively HPV type specific because they did not react with homologous L2 and Li fusion proteins encoded by HPV type 6b, ii, 16, or 18 (Table 1 and Fig. 2). The 12 MAbs generated against intact virions reacted specifically with the HPVia L2 fusion protein piL2 and not with L2 fusion pr'oteins encoded by HPV type 6b, ii, 16, or 18. These MAbs did not react with the HPVia Li-encoded proteins or with Li proteins encoded by the other HPV types (data not shown). The MAb (DPW45) genierated against SDS-disrupted virions reacted with the, HPV1a Li fusion protein. piLl and not with Li fusion proteins encoded by HPV type 5, 6b, 11, 16, 18, 31, or 33 (Table 1). DW45 did not react with the L2-encoded fusion proteins (data not shown). Immunoreactive regions of the HPV1a Li and L2 polypeptides which were recognized by the HPV1 MAbs a'nd by rabbit polyclonal antiserum generated against SDS-denatured bovine paplillomavirus type 1 (rabbit anti-BPV1 antiserum; Dako Corp., San'ta Barbara, Calif.) were mapped by using nested sets of deleted expression plasmids (14). Rabbit anti-BPVi antiserum cross-r'eacts with SDS-denatured yiinons of other animal and human papillomavirus types (16) and reacts with Li polypeptides encoded by HPV1a, -6b, -11, -16, and .-18 (14). Unidirectional 3'-to-5' deletions were made in' the HPV DNA ins'erts of the bacterial expression plasmids by using exonuclease III and nuclease S1 (S1) according to the protocol of Henikoff (11). Plasm'ids derived from the exonuclease ITT-Si deletions expressed nested sets of fusion proteins sequentially deleted from the carboxy toward the amino terminus of the HPV-encoded polypeptide. The deleted fusion proteins were reacted with the antibodies in a Western immnunoblot assay to determine the carboxy boundary of the immunoreactive region (14). The HPVla L2 polypeptide segment recognized by all 12 MAbs generated against intact HPV1 virions mapped to the same location. The MAbs reacted with the p1L2Ex4222 fusion protein (3' end at HPV1a coordinate 4222) and la'rger fusio'n proteins and failed to react with the p1L2Ex4183 fusion protein (3' end at coordinate 4183) and smaller fusion proteins (Fig. 3). This placed the 3' boundary of the immunoreactive region-coding segment between nucleotide (nt) 4183 and nt4222. This DNA segment encodes HPV1 L2 amino acids (aa) 95 through 108 (measured from the first L2 methionine codon). The HPV1 L2 epitope was further localized by reacting the MAbs in an ELISA with a set of overlapping peptides (hexamers) which spanned the region from aa88 through aali8 (9, 14). The hexapeptides were synthesized on polyethylene pins by using a commercially available kit (9) (Epitope Scanning Kit; Cambridge Research Biochemicals, Wilmington, Del.). The MAbs reacted with two adjacent hexapeptides, one which included aalO2 to aalO7 and the other which included aalO3 to aalO8 (Fig. 3). Therefore, the HPV1 L2-reactive MAbs recognized a linear amino acid. sequence which lies between aalO2 and aaiO8 (Pro-Ile-Asp-Val-Val-Asp-Pro). The HPVla L2 amino acid sequence was aligned with the L2 sequences of BPV1 and HPV types 5, 6b, ii, 16, 18, 31, and 33 by using the hierarchical clustering algorithm of Corpet (4). The MAbreactive epitope (aa1O2 to aa1O7) is contained within an 11-amino-acid HPVla L2 segment (aalOO to aa11O) which
CuQ -J
C'J CNJ \] C\J Q-
Cl
'a 'a
FCL
43-
2--
B 68--
43-
C
97--
68-43--
D
97 68--
43-
F 68-
FIG. 2. Antibody reactivities of murine polyclonal antisera generated against intact and denatured HPV1 virions. Immune polyclonal antisera were reacted in Western immunoblot assays with bacterial recombinant proteins encoded by the Li and L2 ORFs of HPV types la, 6b, 11, 16, and 18 (see Table 1 for identification of the bacterial recombinant proteins). (A) Coomassie blue-stained SDS12.5% polyacrylamide gel of whole bacterial lysates. (B and C) Replicate Western immunoblots which were reacted with antiserum generated against intact virions. (D and E) Western immunoblots which were reacted with antiserum generated against SDS-denatured virions. Antigen-antibody complexes were detected by using either anti-IgG antiserum (B and D) or anti-IgM antiserum (C and E). Molecular size standards (in kilodaltons) are on the left.
VOL. 65, 1991
NOTES
C\Jcx
1;
I t
C\J W]LL
c-j
3 ~~
1
3
5
7
~
9
~
11
13 15 17 19 21
25
Peptide Number FIG. 3. Mapping of the immunoreactive region rec -ognized by MAb W275. The immunoreactive region of the HPVla IL2pognied tide recognized by MAb W275 was mapped by using a n ested set of fusion proteins which were serially deleted from the carb oxy toward the amino terminus (clones A through J). (A) Coomiassie bluestained SDS-12.5% polyacrylamide gel of whole bacte-rial lysates which contain these fusion proteins (the positions of the fusion proteins are marked with arrows). (B) Replicate Westeirn immunoblot which was reacted with MAb W275. The nucleotide cooramIates of the 3' ends of the HPV1 L2 inserts in clones H and I a]re indicated (see also Fig. 1). Molecular size standards (in kilodaltonsi) are on the left. The immunoreactive epitope was localized further by reacting MAb W275 in an ELISA with a set of overlapping h4 exapeptides which spanned the region defined by exonuclease III-*S1 deletion mapping (C). In panel C, the x axis indicates the assigne-d hexapeptide number and the y axis represents the optical denisity (O.D.)
(Fig. 5).
the
same
These
Li-
and
L2-encoded
yeast polypeptides
had
apparent molecular weights on SDS-12.5% PAGE
the major and minor capsid proteins of HPVla virions, respectively (data not shown). The HPVla Li and L2 coding sequences were transcribed in vitro by bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase from transcription vector pBS(+) (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.). The Li-encoded and L2-encoded RNAs, respectively, were as
value obtained by reacting MAb W275 with that hexapeptide in an ELISA. The map displays selected hexapeptide sequences. The MAb W275-reactive hexapeptides are underlined, and the limits of the immunoreactive region are indicated on the extended amino acid sequence at the top of the map.
J. VIROL.
NOTES
1582
WC)aOC 'r0(g
0
cm m
-)
(0OL) )< >
