title: Avian hepatitis B viruses: molecular and cellular biology, phylogenesis, and host tropism.
abstract: The human hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) share several fundamental features. Both viruses have a partially double-stranded DNA genome that is replicated via a RNA intermediate and the coding open reading frames (ORFs) overlap extensively. In addition, the genomic and structural organization, as well as replication and biological characteristics, are very similar in both viruses. Most of the key features of hepadnaviral infection were first discovered in the DHBV model system and subsequently confirmed for HBV. There are, however, several differences between human HBV and DHBV. This review will focus on the molecular and cellular biology, evolution, and host adaptation of the avian hepatitis B viruses with particular emphasis on DHBV as a model system.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Virology, Heinrich-Pette-Institut fur experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universitat Hamburg, PO Box 201652, Hamburg 20206, Germany.
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mhamdi
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Will
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sirma
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017917:Avihepadnavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004372:Ducks; D018347:Hepadnaviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015611:Hepatitis B Virus, Duck / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D018523:Tropism / Q000502:physiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053586:Virus Internalization; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines