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. 1998 Dec 1;17(23):6839-45.
doi: 10.1093/emboj/17.23.6839.

Peptides that block hepatitis B virus assembly: analysis by cryomicroscopy, mutagenesis and transfection

B Böttcher  1 , N Tsuji, H Takahashi, M R Dyson, S Zhao, R A Crowther, K Murray
Affiliations

Peptides that block hepatitis B virus assembly: analysis by cryomicroscopy, mutagenesis and transfection

B Böttcher et al. EMBO J. .

Abstract

Peptides selected to bind to hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein block interaction with the long viral surface antigen (L-HBsAg) in vitro. High resolution electron cryomicroscopy showed that one such peptide binds at the tips of the spikes of the core protein shell. The peptides contain two basic residues; changing either of two acidic residues at the spike tip to an alanine greatly reduced the binding affinity. Transfection of hepatoma cells with a replication-competent HBV plasmid gave significantly reduced production of virus in the presence of peptide, in a dose-dependent manner. These experiments show that the interaction of L-HBsAg with core particles is critical for HBV assembly, and give proof of principle for its disruption in vivo by small molecules.

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