[Insertion of TC motif into hepatitis B virus core protein c/e1 site does not affect the expression of S and e antigen].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether insertion of TC motif into hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein c/e1 site affects the expression of S and e antigen.


METHODS
Different oligonucleotides encoding TC motif were inserted into the c/e1 site of the core gene of a 1.3 copy wild-type HBV genome vector. HepG2 cells were divided into several groups of cells to transiently transfect with the wild-type and mutant HBV vectors, respectively. In each group, the expression level of core protein inside cells was detected by western blotting, and the levels of S and e antigen in culture medium were analyzed by ELISA assay.


RESULTS
Western blotting showed that these TC-tagged core proteins were expressed at similar level of wild-type one. ELISA assay indicated that the level of S and e antigen in culture medium of different groups were not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
Insertion of TC motif into HBV core protein c/e1 site does not interference with the expression of viral protein encoded by HBV genome.
Lin
Yuan-yuan
YY
Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Cheng
Xiao-ming
XM
Song
Yu-hu
YH
Chang
Ying
Y
Yao
Jin-jian
JJ
Lin
Ju-sheng
JS
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins