Structural characterization of the HDV virion and its ribonucleoprotein.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a small RNA satellite virus of hepatitis B virus (HBV) which encodes a single protein, HDV delta antigen (HDAg), that is required for replication. Viral replication occurs independently from HBV and relies primarily on host RNA polymerase(s). Bulevirtide, a viral entry inhibitor, is the only approved treatment for chronic HDV but has a low cure rate as a monotherapy, and most patients rebound following cessation of therapy. It is likely that an inhibitor targeting HDV replication is necessary to achieve HDV cure, but the paucity of HDV-derived elements and limited understanding of HDV replication presents a significant therapeutic challenge. Understanding the precise mechanism of interactions between HDAg and viral RNA, and how it is packaged within the virion ca

SUBMITTER: Itskanov S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846810 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature