title: Expression of HBV envelope and nucleocapsid proteins in human cells using vaccinia virus vectors.
abstract: We have analysed the expression of HBV envelope (large, middle, major) and nucleocapsid (core and precore) proteins in human skin fibroblasts and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B-cell lines infected with recombinant vaccinia virus vectors. The large envelope protein was not secreted and barely detectable in the cytosol, whereas middle s and major s where both water soluble and efficiently secreted in abundant quantities. The precore polypeptide was also secreted whereas the core protein was totally retained within a water soluble intracellular compartment, thus confirming the presence of a signal peptide within the precore region responsible for targeting the protein to the endoplasmic reticulum for excretion. It is anticipated that such recombinants will provide a useful tool for analysis of HBV-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica delle Malattie Infettive, Università di Pavia, I R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Matteo, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mondelli
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baldick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McLachlan
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Chisari
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moss
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004274:DNA, Recombinant / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin; D013997:Time Factors; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins