title: Characterization of a cis element required for packaging and replication of the human hepatitis B virus.
abstract: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus; however, it replicates through a pregenomic RNA intermediate. Several HBV-specific mRNAs are transcribed, but only the pregenomic RNA transcript is encapsidated. The encapsidation of the HBV genome, therefore, is a highly specific and selective process. Using mutational analyses and complementation tests, we have defined a 99-nucleotide cis element located at the pre-C/C region of the HBV genome which is essential for encapsidation and the replication. Furthermore, HBV genome truncated down to 1.5 kb and HBV mutants carrying foreign DNA inserts could still replicate in our complementation system.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral