The functions of papillomavirus E2 proteins

Abstract

All papillomaviruses encode an E2 protein and it is essential for the viral life cycle. E2 has three domains; a carboxyl-terminal DNA binding and dimerization domain, an amino-terminal protein interaction domain and a hinge region linking these two. Following homo-dimerization human papillomavirus E2 binds to four 12bp palindromic DNA sequences located in the non-coding long control region (LCR) of the viral genome. E2 has three main roles during the viral life cycle. It regulates transcription from the host, and potentially the viral, genome. It initiates viral replication via recruitment of the helicase E1 to the origin of replication. It segregates the viral genome during mitosis to ensure that viral genomes reside in daughter nuclei. This review will describe all of these functions and the mechanisms and interacting partners E2 uses to achieve them. It will also describe a potential role for E2 in mediating HPV cancer therapeutic outcomes.