Hepatitis B virus particles contain a polypeptide encoded by the largest open reading frame: a putative reverse transcriptase.
A segment of the largest open reading frame of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was inserted into an open reading frame vector directing the expression in Escherichia coli of a fusion molecule containing 143 HBV-encoded amino acids. The fusion protein was used to generate antiserum which served in immunoblots to identify a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 65 kilodaltons in HBV particles. Because of the small number of molecules in virus particles, unambiguous detection required the development of a highly sensitive immunoblot procedure.
Mack
D H
DH
Department of Infectious Diseases, Cetus Corporation, Emeryville, California 94608.
Bloch
W
W
Nath
N
N
Sninsky
J J
JJ
D015100:3,3'-Diaminobenzidine; D001560:Benzidines; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics*; D014771:Virion / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
D001560:Benzidines; D010455:Peptides; D015100:3,3'-Diaminobenzidine; C021758:3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase