Why are hepadnaviruses DNA and not RNA viruses?
Virion assembly in hepadnaviruses is a two-step process leading to (1) the packaging of viral pregenomic RNA and reverse transcriptase into nucleocapsids and (2) the assembly of nucleocapsids with envelope components, which results in the formation of mature virus particles. Characteristically, both steps are intimately coupled to viral DNA synthesis. While assembly of nucleocapsids is coupled to the protein priming of reverse transcription, virion formation is linked to genome maturation.
Seeger
C
C
Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA. c_seeger@fccc.edu
Hu
J
J
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D015613:Hepadnaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases