The hepatitis E virus capsid C-terminal region is essential for the viral life cycle: implication for viral genome encapsidation and particle stabilization.

ABSTRACT: Although the C-terminal 52 amino acids (C52aa) of hepatitis E virus (HEV) capsid are not essential for morphology, the C52aa-encoding region is required for replication. Transfection of a C52aa knockdown mutant showed transient growth, and the earliest population included a majority of noninfectious (possibly empty) particles and a minority of infectious particles with C-terminal capsid degradation. Finally, the complete revertant was generated reproducibly. C52aa is essential for the viral life cycle, promoting accurate encapsidation and stabilizing encapsidated particles.

SUBMITTER: Shiota T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3648136 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature