The effect of upstream sequences to initiator on the expression of gene coding for hepatitis B core antigen.
The nucleotide sequences of cloned adw hepatitis B core antigens (HBcAg) which have different levels of expression have been determined by dideoxy chain-terminating method. The results indicate that the different levels of gene expression is primarily due to the different structures of upstream sequences before the initiator of HBcAg genes. The hepatitis B core gene in the low-expressed clone forms a secondary structure before the initiator. This secondary structure has been removed by Bal-31 exonuclease in the high-expressed clone and half of the structure removed in the mid-expressed clone. It is apparent that the transcription/translation of the hepatitis B core gene is somehow blocked because of the secondary structure. Therefore, the amount of HBcAg synthesized in E. coli is dramatically reduced.
Shi
C H
CH
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing.
Song
Y M
YM
Li
A L
AL
Ma
X K
XK
Huang
C F
CF
D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005815:Genetic Code; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens