Forms an icosahedral capsid with a T=7 symmetry and about 55 nm diameter. The capsid is composed of 72 pentamers linked to each other by disulfide bonds and associated with L2 proteins. The capsid encapsulates the genomic DNA, but does not bind DNA. Essential for the initial attachment to the host cell .
Nucleotide sequence and comparative analysis of the human papillomavirus type 18 genome. Phylogeny of papillomaviruses and repeated structure of the E6 and E7 gene products.Cole S.T., Danos O.J. Mol. Biol. 193:599-608(1987)
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