Mutations in HPV16 L1 hypervariable surface-exposed loops affect L2 binding and DNA encapsidation.
Prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) based on Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) induce type-specific neutralizing antibodies against a small number of hypervariable residues positioned in surface-exposed loops of the major capsid protein L1. To investigate the importance of these residues for neutralization, cross-neutralization, L2 incorporation and genome encapsidation, ten surface