Fig. 1: HPV16 genome structure and life cycle.
From: Navigating therapeutic strategies: HPV classification in head and neck cancer
a Structural late L1 and L2 genes, and executive early E1–E8 genes are expressed from a nearly 8 Kbp HPV16 genome. b The HPV infection starts in the basal epithelial cells upon injury/trauma/permeability and ends with the assembly and virion release at the very top terminally differentiated epithelial cells. Early genes of E1, E2, E6, E7, E4, E5 and late genes of L1 and L2 are expressed in basal to superficial layers during the infection initiation, progression and termination. Ori origin of replication, URR upstream regulatory region.
