6533b828fe1ef96bd12885e1
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Virus replication and virion export in X-deficient hepatitis B virus transgenic mice
Jürgen LöhlerFritz Von WeizsäckerGabriele SpindlerChrista KuhnJosef KöckPetra NusserKurt Reifenbergsubject
Hepatitis B virusHepatitis B virus DNA polymerasevirusesTransgeneMice TransgenicBiologyVirus Replicationmedicine.disease_causeHepatitis B virus PRE betaGene productMicechemistry.chemical_compoundVirologymedicineAnimalsViral Regulatory and Accessory ProteinsHepatitis B virusVirionVirologyMolecular biologydigestive system diseasesMice Inbred C57BLHBxViral replicationchemistryMice Inbred DBATrans-ActivatorsDNAdescription
The function of the X protein (pX) in the replication cycle of mammalian hepadnaviruses is enigmatic. Using tissue culture experiments it has been shown that the X gene product is not central to hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and virion export. However, at present it is still unclear whether this also applies to the in vivo situation. Using a terminally redundant X-deficient HBV DNA construct, transgenic mice were established that exhibited high-level expression of the viral core protein in liver and kidneys. Importantly, replicative DNA intermediates and mature viral genomes could be detected in the liver and serum of these mice, respectively. These findings indicate that, in the in vivo model of transgenic mice, the HBV X (HBx) gene product is not required for HBV replication and virion secretion.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-04-19 | Journal of General Virology |