Human papillomaviruses modulate microRNA 145 expression to directly control genome amplification.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) modulate expression of host microRNAs. Our deep-sequencing analysis of organotypic raft cultures identified microRNA 145 (miR-145) as a differentiation-dependent microRNA that has functionally active target sequences in the HPV-31 E1 and E2 open reading frames. Overexpression of miR-145 in HPV-positive cells resulted in reduced genome amplification and late gene expression, along with decreased levels of cellular transcription factor KLF-4. Our studies show that HPV modulates miR-145 expression to control its own life cycle.