title: Proteolytic self-cleavage of hepatitis B virus core protein may generate serum e antigen.
abstract: A model is proposed to explain the presence of the e antigen (HBeAg) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the serum of individuals infected with this virus. The e antigen, which has only recently been characterized, is a fragment of the virus core, or nucleocapsid, protein. Serum HBeAg is a valuable clinical marker for active HBV infection because its appearance correlates both with virus replication in the liver and with the presence of circulating virions. In this study a protease-like amino acid sequence was identified at the amino terminus of the core protein sequence. Experimental evidence indicates that HBeAg may be produced by proteolytic self-cleavage of the core protein.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases