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Science 8 May 1987:
Vol. 236. no. 4802, pp. 722 - 725
DOI: 10.1126/science.3554507
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Articles

Science, Vol 236, Issue 4802, 722-725
Copyright © 1987 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Proteolytic self-cleavage of hepatitis B virus core protein may generate serum e antigen

RH Miller

A model is proposed to explain the presence of the e antigen (HBeAg) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the serum of individuals infected with this virus. The e antigen, which has only recently been characterized, is a fragment of the virus core, or nucleocapsid, protein. Serum HBeAg is a valuable clinical marker for active HBV infection because its appearance correlates both with virus replication in the liver and with the presence of circulating virions. In this study a protease-like amino acid sequence was identified at the amino terminus of the core protein sequence. Experimental evidence indicates that HBeAg may be produced by proteolytic self-cleavage of the core protein.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Molecular modeling of the HIV-1 protease and its substrate binding site.
I. Weber, M Miller, M Jaskolski, J Leis, A. Skalka, and A Wlodawer (1989)
Science 243, 928-931
   Abstract »    PDF »
Human immunodeficiency virus may encode a novel protein on the genomic DNA plus strand.
R. Miller (1988)
Science 239, 1420-1422
   Abstract »    PDF »


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