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Journal of Virology, January 2000, p. 1-7, Vol. 74, No. 1
0022-538X/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Hepatitis B Virus Core Gene Mutations Which Block
Nucleocapsid Envelopment
Matthias
Koschel,
Daniela
Oed,
Tudevdagwa
Gerelsaikhan,
Reiner
Thomssen, and
Volker
Bruss*
Department of Virology, University of
Göttingen, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
Received 26 July 1999/Accepted 17 September 1999
Recently we generated a panel of hepatitis B virus core gene
mutants carrying single insertions or deletions which allowed efficient
expression of the core protein in bacteria and self-assembly of
capsids. Eleven of these mutations were introduced into a eukaryotic core gene expression vector and characterized by trans
complementation of a core-negative HBV genome in cotransfected human
hepatoma HuH7 cells. Surprisingly, four mutants (two insertions [EFGA
downstream of A11 and LDTASALYR downstream of R39] and two deletions
[Y38-R39-E40 and L42]) produced no detectable capsids. The other
seven mutants supported capsid formation and pregenome packaging/viral
minus- and plus-strand-DNA synthesis but to different levels. Four of these seven mutants (two insertions [GA downstream of A11 and EHCSP
downstream of P50] and two deletions [S44 and A80]) allowed virion
morphogenesis and secretion. The mutant carrying a deletion of A80 at
the tip of the spike protruding from the capsid was hepatitis B virus
core antigen negative but wild type with respect to virion formation,
indicating that this site might not be crucial for capsid-surface
protein interactions during morphogenesis. The other three
nucleocapsid-forming mutants (one insertion [LS downstream of S141]
and two deletions [T12 and P134]) were strongly blocked in virion
formation. The corresponding sites are located in the part of the
protein forming the body of the capsid and not in the spike. These
mutations may alter sites on the particle which contact surface
proteins during envelopment, or they may block the appearance of a
signal for the transport or the maturation of the capsid which is
linked to viral DNA synthesis and required for envelopment.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Virology, University of Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, D-37075
Göttingen, Germany. Phone: 49 551 39 5759. Fax: 49 551 39 5860. E-mail: VBRUSS{at}GWDG.DE.

Present address: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research, Gene Therapy and Therapeutics Branch, National Institutes
of
Health, Bethesda, MD
20892.
Journal of Virology, January 2000, p. 1-7, Vol. 74, No. 1
0022-538X/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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