title: Replicating and virion secreting hepatitis B mutant virus unable to produce preS2 protein.
abstract: Mutant HBV genomes unable to produce preS2 protein were identified in the serum of a highly viremic chronic carrier. By direct sequencing of the amplified preS region and by sequencing of 50 cloned amplified preS DNA fragments all molecules were found to have deleted the preS2 translation initiation codon and three amino acids 54 nucleotides downstream thereof. In addition, numerous amino acid changes, predominantly located between both deletions, were revealed. HBV-DNA genomes containing the mutated preS sequences were shown to be replication competent and to secrete efficiently virions that were morphologically and by the type of DNA encapsidated not distinguishable from wild-type virus. These data demonstrate that HBV with mutated preS sequences and unable to express preS2 protein can occur as a dominant or exclusive virus population in a highly viremic chronic carrier. The data also show that expression of the preS2 protein is not essential for HBV replication, virion morphogenesis and secretion.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried/München, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernholz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stemler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brunetto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonino
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Will
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002353:Carrier State; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000382:microbiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014771:Virion / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen