PCR mediated recombination impacts the analysis of hepatitis B Virus covalently closed circular DNA.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The replication of HBV involves the production of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) from the HBV genome through the repair of virion relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) in the virion. As cccDNA is the transcription template for HBV genomes, it needs to be eliminated from hepatocytes if the eradication of chronic HBV infection is to be achieved. PCR quantitation of cccDNA copy number is the technique of choice for evaluating the efficiency of treatment regimens. The PCR target commonly used to identify cccDNA spans the gapped region of rcDNA and is considered to accurately distinguish between cccDNA and rcDNA. There is however, a potentially confounding issue in that PCR can generate larger targets from collections of small DNA fragments, a phenomenon known as PCR recombin

SUBMITTER: Suspene R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5168874 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature