The Hepatitis B Virus Nucleocapsid-Dynamic Compartment for Infectious Virus Production and New Antiviral Target.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small enveloped DNA virus which replicates its tiny 3.2 kb genome by reverse transcription inside an icosahedral nucleocapsid, formed by a single ~180 amino acid capsid, or core, protein (Cp). HBV causes chronic hepatitis B (CHB), a severe liver disease responsible for nearly a million deaths each year. Most of HBV's only seven primary gene products are multifunctional. Though less obvious than for the multi-domain polymerase, P protein, this is equally crucial for Cp with its multiple roles in the viral life-cycle. Cp provides a stable genome container during extracellular phases, allows for directed intracellular genome transport and timely release from the capsid, and subsequent assembly of new nucleocapsids around P protein and the pregenomic (pg) RNA, form

SUBMITTER: Niklasch M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8615760 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature