title: [Replication and encapsidation of HBV mutants with the truncated C gene].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the replication and encapsidation of HBV mutants with the truncated C gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HBV mutants with the truncated C gene were constructed by molecular cloning and PCR-based deletion in vitro. The replication and encapsidation of HBV mutants were investigated by Southern blotting, PCR and real-time fluorescence PCR respectively after transfecting the HBV mutants plasmid into HepG2 cells by using liposome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The C-truncated HBV mutant vectors were constructed successfully and confirmed exactly by clone sequencing and enzymes digestion. The C-truncated HBV mutants were replication defective, however, all types of HBV DNA could be detected positive in the cytoplasm and supernatant after co-transfecting the C-truncated HBV mutants plasmid and the helper constructs into HepG2 cells. The C-truncated HBV mutants were proved to produce 3-40 folds more progeny DNA than that of the wild-type HBV by DNA quantitative assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The C-truncated HBV mutants are replication-deficient and could not replicate and encapsulate in the hepatocytes when transfected solely, however, the progeny HBV-variant viruses are encapsidated more effectively to secrete into supernatant when co-transfected with the helper construct which lacks part of 5 prime-proximal HBV RNA packaging signal Epsilon.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hepatology, Beijing Military General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Ju-qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Da-rong
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jin-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Xue-ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Gong-ren
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chao-ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-pin
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Yi-pin
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens