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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,dagger 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.

dagger 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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