Failure to interact with Brd4 alters the ability of HPV16 E2 to regulate host genome expression and cellular movement

•The results describe a role for Brd4 in HPV16 E2 regulation of the host genome.•Highly down regulated genes are not significantly changed but activated genes are.•The results demonstrate that an interaction between HPV16 E2 and Brd4 is involved in co-activating a set of host genes.•Overall the results suggest that the levels of Brd4, or its ability to interact with E2, could determine infection outcome.