Monoclonal antibodies providing topological information on the duck hepatitis B virus core protein and avihepadnaviral nucleocapsid structure.
The icosahedral capsid of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) is formed by a single core protein species (DHBc). DHBc is much larger than HBc from human HBV, and no high-resolution structure is available. In an accompanying study (M. Nassal, I. Leifer, I. Wingert, K. Dallmeier, S. Prinz, and J. Vorreiter, J. Virol. 81:13218-13229, 2007), we used extensive mutagenesis to derive a structural model for DHBc. For independent validation, we here mapped the epitopes of seven anti-DHBc monoclonal antibodies. Using numerous recombinant DHBc proteins and authentic nucleocapsids from different avihepadnaviruses as test antigens, plus a panel of complementary assays, particle-specific and exposed plus buried linear epitopes were revealed. These data fully support key features of the model.
Vorreiter
Jolanta
J
University Hospital Freiburg, Internal Medicine 2/Molecular Biology, Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Leifer
Immanuel
I
Rösler
Christine
C
Jackevica
Ludmila
L
Pumpens
Paul
P
Nassal
Michael
M
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D017917:Avihepadnavirus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D015611:Hepatitis B Virus, Duck / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D014758:Viral Core Proteins