The PxDLLCxE sequence in conserved region 2 of human papilloma virus 18 protein E7 is required for E7 binding to centromere protein C.

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are etiologically linked to human cervical and oral cancers. HPV infection leads to aneuploidy, a numerical chromosomal aberration caused by dysregulation of chromosomal segregation. We found that high-risk HPV18 and HPV58 E7 proteins bind to centromere protein C (CENP-C), a component of the kinetochore that is essential for proper chromosomal segregation. Low-risk HPV4, HPV6, and HPV11 E7s do not bind to CENP-C. The PxDLLCxE sequence in conserved region 2 (CR2) of HPV18 E7 is required for E7 binding to CENP-C. Our results indicate that differences in the ability of high- and low-risk HPV E7s to bind to CENP-C reflect the different oncogenic potentials of high- and low-risk type HPVs.