Defective replication units of hepatitis B virus.
Templates for the synthesis of defective hepatitis B virus RNA pregenomes were constructed. Viral sequences in these constructs were replaced by the neomycin resistance gene. Deletions spanned up to 80% of the genome and did not include the cohesive end region. The size of the defective replication units was reduced up to half of the wild-type unit length. After cotransfection with replication competent wild-type DNA, defective pregenomes became included into the pool of replicating viral nucleic acids. A natural template for a defective pregenome was derived from the integrated state in a hepatocellular carcinoma. Owing to a deletion, this unit was devoid of the hepatitis B virus enhancer.
Schranz
P
P
Institut für Virusforschung, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Zentgraf
H
H
Loncarević
I F
IF
Niepmann
M
M
Schröder
C H
CH
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000382:microbiology; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral