title: Hepatitis B virus genome variability and disease progression: the impact of pre-core mutants and HBV genotypes.
abstract: The hepatitis B virus (HBV), a member of the Hepadnaviridae family, is prone to mutations due to its asymmetric replication via reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate. The estimated mutation rate of the hepadnavirus genome is 2 x 10(4) base substitutions/site/year. This mutation rate is approximately 100 times higher than that of other DNA viruses but between 100 and 1000 times lower than that of RNA viruses. Analyses of both naturally occurring viral variants and in vitro mutagenesis studies have identified some mutations that have a role in viral latency, pathogenesis of liver disease, immune escape, and resistance to antiviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Liner Unit, Hospital General Universitari Pall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain. mbuti@vhebron.net
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buti
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Frias
authors.forename: Rosendo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jardi
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esteban
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D014758:Viral Core Proteins