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The conversion of hepatitis B core antigen synthesized in e coli into e antigen
Author(s) -
Mackay Patricia,
Lees Janice,
Murray Kenneth
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890080404
Subject(s) - hbcag , hbeag , virology , antigen , hepatitis b virus , recombinant dna , hepadnaviridae , antibody , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , virus , hbsag , gene , immunology , biochemistry
Abstract The e antigen (HBeAg) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a polypeptide of 17–20,000 daltons closely associated with the core antigen (HBcAg) of Dane particles, from which it is released by a variety of disruptive procedures. HBeAg could be a unique component of HBV core particles or a derivative of HBcAg. To resolve this question immunodiffusion experiments were carried out with preparations of HBcAg synthesized in E coli carrying a recombinant plasmid from which the HBcAg, but no other HBV gene, was expressed. HBcAg was converted into HBeAg by proteolytic degradation under dissociating conditions, thus confirming at the molecular level that HBeAg is a component of HBcAg. This offers a new route to the detection of HBeAg and antibodies to the antigen.