Minor protein of the capsid that localizes along the inner surface of the virion, within the central cavities beneath the L1 pentamers. Plays a role in capsid stabilization through interaction with the major capsid protein L1. Once the virion enters the host cell, L2 escorts the genomic DNA into the nucleus by promoting escape from the endosomal compartments and traffic through the host Golgi network. Mechanistically, the C-terminus of L2 possesses a cell-penetrating peptide that protudes from the host endosome, interacts with host cytoplasmic retromer cargo and thereby mediates the capsid delivery to the host trans-Golgi network. Plays a role through its interaction with host dynein in the intracellular microtubule-dependent transport of viral capsid toward the nucleus. Mediates the viral genome import into the nucleus through binding to host importins. Once within the nucleus, L2 localizes viral genomes to host PML bodies in order to activate early gene expression for establishment of infection. Later on, promotes late gene expression by interacting with the viral E2 protein and by inhibiting its transcriptional activation functions. During virion assembly, encapsidates the genome by direct interaction with the viral DNA. Interacts with major capsid protein L1. Interacts with E2; this interaction inhibits E2 transcriptional activity but not the DNA replication function E2. Interacts with host GADD45GIP1. Interacts with host HSPA8; this interaction is required for L2 nuclear translocation. Interacts with host importins KPNB2 and KPNB3. Forms a complex with importin alpha2-beta1 heterodimers via interaction with the importin alpha2 adapter. Interacts with host DYNLT1; this interaction is essential for virus intracellular transport during entry. Interacts (via C-terminus) with host retromer subunits VPS35 AND VPS29. Highly phosphorylated. Belongs to the papillomaviridae L2 protein family.