Structures of hepatitis B virus cores presenting a model epitope and their complexes with antibodies.

ABSTRACT: The core shell of hepatitis B virus is a potent immune stimulator, giving a strong neutralizing immune response to foreign epitopes inserted at the immunodominant region, located at the tips of spikes on the exterior of the shell. Here, we analyze structures of core shells with a model epitope inserted at two alternative positions in the immunodominant region. Recombinantly expressed core protein assembles into T=3 and T=4 icosahedral shells, and atomic coordinates are available for the T=4 shell. Since the modified protein assembles predominantly into T=3 shells, a quasi-atomic model of the native T=3 shell was made. The spikes in this T=3 structure resemble those in T=4 shells crystallized from expressed protein. However, the spikes in the modified shells exhibit an altered conformation,

SUBMITTER: Roseman AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3465560 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature