title: Core promoter: a critical region where the hepatitis B virus makes decisions.
abstract: The core promoter (CP) of the viral genome plays an important role for hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication as it directs initiation of transcription for the synthesis of both the precore and pregenomic (pg) RNAs. The CP consists of the upper regulatory region and the basal core promoter (BCP). The CP overlaps with the 3'-end of the X open reading frames and the 5'-end of the precore region, and contains cis-acting elements that can independently direct transcription of the precore mRNA and pgRNA. Its transcription regulation is under strict control of viral and cellular factors. Even though this regulatory region exhibits high sequence conservation, when variations appear, they may contribute to the persistence of HBV within the host, leading to chronic infection and cirrhosis, and eventually, hepatocellular carcinoma. Among CP sequence variations, those occurring at BCP may dysregulate viral gene expression with emphasis in the hepatitis B e antigen, and contribute to disease progression. In this review these molecular aspects and pathologic topics of core promoter are deeply evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Jorge Quarleri, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quarleri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018450:Disease Progression; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins
keywords: Basal core promoter; Core promoter; Hepatitis B virus; Transcription regulation; Variants