RB1 and infection: Although E6/E7 expression to some level is present at all times in an HPV infected cells independent of the presence of a ‘dormant’ infection or a disease causing infection, it is broadly accepted that it is deregulated E6/E6 expression that contributes to the development of a transforming (i.e. malignant potential) infection through the ubiquitination of p53/pRb rendering it dysfunctional.