The First Complete Papillomavirus Genome Characterized from a Marsupial Host: a Novel Isolate from Bettongia penicillata

ABSTRACT The first fully sequenced papillomavirus (PV) of marsupials, tentatively named Bettongia penicillata papillomavirus type 1 (BpPV1), was detected in papillomas from a woylie ( Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi ). The circular, double-stranded DNA genome contains 7,737 bp and encodes 7 open reading frames (ORFs), E6 , E7 , E1 , E2 , E4 , L2 , and L1 , in typical PV conformation. BpPV1 is a close-to-root PV with L1 and L2 ORFs most similar to European hedgehog PV and bandicoot papillomatosis carcinomatosis virus types 1 and 2 (BPCV1 and -2). It appears that the BPCVs arose by recombination between an ancient PV and an ancient polyomavirus more than 10 million years ago.