title: Myristylation is involved in intracellular retention of hepatitis B virus envelope proteins.
abstract: The envelope of hepatitis B virus contains three related proteins, one of which is myristylated. The nonmyristylated small and middle protein are assembled into empty envelope particles which are secreted from cells, whereas the myristylated large envelope protein is mainly found in complete virions and is not secreted in the absence of the nucleocapsid. The block to secretion can be partially overcome by mutation or deletion of the myristylation site. Creation of a myristyl attachment site in the small protein impairs the secretion of empty envelope particles but not their intracellular assembly. Myristylation may therefore play a crucial role in hepatitis B virus replication by channeling the envelope proteins into complete viral particles.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prange
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clemen
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Streeck
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000378:metabolism; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008970:Molecular Weight; D019814:Myristic Acid; D009227:Myristic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D009227:Myristic Acids; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen; D019814:Myristic Acid