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Journal of Virology, January 2003, p. 416-422, Vol. 77, No. 1
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.1.416-422.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mapping of Amino Acid Side Chains on the Surface of Hepatitis B Virus Capsids Required for Envelopment and Virion Formation

Dirk Ponsel and Volker Bruss*

Department of Virology, University of Göttingen, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany

Received 5 July 2002/ Accepted 11 September 2002

The crystal structure of recombinant hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsids formed by 240 core proteins has recently been published. We wanted to map sites on the surface of the icosahedral 35-nm particle that are important for nucleocapsid envelopment by HBV surface proteins during virion morphogenesis. For this purpose, we individually mutated 52 amino acids (aa) within the N-terminal 140 aa of the 185-aa long core protein displaying their side chains to the external surface of the capsid to alanine residues. The phenotype of the mutations with respect to virion formation was tested by transcomplementation of a core gene-negative HBV genome in transiently cotransfected cells, immunoprecipitation of nucleocapsids from cells and secreted virions from culture media, and detection of the particles by radioactive endogenous polymerase reactions. Thirteen point mutations impeded nucleocapsid detection by endogenous polymerase reactions. Twenty-seven mutations were compatible with virion formation. Among these were all capsid-forming mutations in the upper half of the spike protruding from the particle shell and two additional triple mutations at tip of the spike. Eleven mutations (S17, F18, L60, L95, K96, F122, I126, R127, N136, A137, and I139) allowed nucleocapsid formation but blocked particle envelopment and virion formation to undetectable levels. These mutations map to a ring-like groove around the base of the spike and to a small area at the capsid surface close to the pores in the capsid shell. These residues are candidate sites for the interaction with envelope proteins during virion morphogenesis.

* 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 4471. E-mail: vbruss{at}gwdg.de.

Journal of Virology, January 2003, p. 416-422, Vol. 77, No. 1
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.1.416-422.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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