Identification and characterization of a papillomavirus from birds (Fringillidae).

From skin papillomas of the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), a virus has been purified and studied by physicochemical techniques and electron microscopy. The virions measure 52 nm in diameter and are composed of 72 morphological units arranged in a skew T = 7d surface lattice. A sedimentation coefficient of about 300S and a buoyant density of 1.34 g/ml in CsCl were determined for the particle. Its protein composition resembles that of human papillomavirus, and the circular double-stranded genome measures 2.6 micronm. This is the first demonstration of a member of the Papovaviridae family that affects a nonmammalian host.