Cross-hybridization and relationships of various papillomavirus DNAs at different degrees of stringency

Cloned DNAs of 21 different papillomaviruses which naturally infect mammals and one bird papillomavirus were compared for relative homology by Southern blot hybridization. Blots were carried out under low (Tm-40 degrees), medium (Tm-33 degrees), and high (Tm-22 degrees) stringency conditions. At higher stringency, human papillomaviruses cross-hybridized with each other reflecting species-specific similarities. Bovine papillomavirus types 1, 2, 5, European elk papillomavirus, and deer papillomavirus also cross-hybridized at higher stringencies probably reflecting the association of these viruses with fibroblast-prolific lesions. The hybridization data presented here may be useful in future classification attempts. They are also useful as a guide in the selection of papillomavirus DNA probes for analysis of extracts from warts and tumors.