RESUMO
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has a 3.2 kb circular DNA genome. It employs four promoters in conjunction with a single polyadenylation signal to generate 3.5, 2.4, 2.1 and 0.7 kb co-terminal RNAs. The 3.5 kb RNA is subdivided into the precore RNA for e-antigen expression and pregenomic RNA for genome replication. When introduced to a genotype A clone, several core promoter mutations markedly enhanced HBV genome replication, but suppressed e-antigen expression through up-regulation of pregenomic RNA at the expense of precore RNA. In this study, we found such mutations also diminished envelope proteins and hepatitis B surface antigen, products of the 2.1 and 2.4 kb subgenomic RNAs. Indeed, Northern blot analysis revealed overall increase in 3.5 kb RNA, but reduction in all subgenomic RNAs. To validate transcriptional interference, we subcloned 1.1×, 0.7× and 0.6× HBV genome, respectively, to a vector with or without a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter at the 5' end, so as to produce the pregenomic RNA, 2.4 kb RNA, and 2.1 kb RNA in large excess or not at all. Parallel transfection of the three pairs of constructs into a human hepatoma cell line confirmed the ability of pregenomic RNA to suppress all subgenomic transcripts and established the ability of the 2.4 and 2.1 kb RNAs to suppress the 0.7 kb RNA. Consistent with our findings, pregenomic RNA of the related duck HBV has been reported to interfere with transcription of the subgenomic RNAs. Transcriptional interference might explain why HBV produces so little 0.7 kb RNA and HBx protein despite a strong X promoter.
Assuntos
Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Hepatite B/virologia , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Viral/genética , Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B/genética , Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Antígenos E da Hepatite B/genética , Antígenos E da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Vírus da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Humanos , Interferência de RNA , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , RNA Viral/metabolismo , Transcrição GênicaRESUMO
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes A and D are prevalent in many parts of the world and show overlapping geographic distributions. We amplified the entire HBV genome from sera of patients with genotypes A and D and generated overlength constructs for transient transfection into Huh7 or HepG2 cells. Genotype D clones were associated with less HBsAg in culture supernatant and even less intracellular HBsAg. They produced less 2.1-kb RNA due to a weaker SPII promoter. Chimeric promoter constructs identified three divergent positions as most critical, and their exchange reversed extracellular HBsAg phenotype. The S protein of genotype D was more efficient at secretion, while its L protein possessed greater inhibitory effect. Swapping the S gene diminished genotypic difference in intracellular S protein but widened the difference in secreted HBsAg. In conclusion, HBV genotypes A and D differ in S protein expression, secretion and modulation by L protein.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Vírus da Hepatite B/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/metabolismo , Sequência de Bases , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Genótipo , Células Hep G2 , Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B/genética , Vírus da Hepatite B/classificação , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Humanos , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Transcrição Gênica , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/genéticaRESUMO
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcribes two subsets of 3.5-kb RNAs: precore RNA for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) expression, and pregenomic RNA for core and P protein translation as well as genome replication. HBeAg expression could be prevented by mutations in the precore region, while an upstream open reading frame (uORF) has been proposed as a negative regulator of core protein translation. We employed replication competent HBV DNA constructs and transient transfection experiments in Huh7 cells to verify the uORF effect and to explore the alternative function of precore RNA. Optimized Kozak sequence for the uORF or extra ATG codons as present in some HBV genotypes reduced core protein expression. G1896A nonsense mutation promoted more efficient core protein expression than mutated precore ATG, while a +1 frameshift mutation was ineffective. In conclusion, various HBeAg-negative precore mutations and mutations affecting uORF differentially regulate core protein expression and genome replication.
Assuntos
Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica/genética , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/biossíntese , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Antígenos E da Hepatite B/genética , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Fases de Leitura Aberta/genética , Proteínas do Core Viral/biossíntese , Proteínas do Core Viral/genética , Sequência de Bases , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Códon sem Sentido/genética , Replicação do DNA/genética , DNA Viral/genética , Mutação da Fase de Leitura/genética , Antígenos E da Hepatite B/biossíntese , Hepatite B Crônica/virologia , Humanos , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Precursores de Proteínas/genética , Replicação Viral/genéticaRESUMO
Chronic infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C is associated with a prolonged replicative phase and an increased risk of liver cancer, compared with genotype B infection. We previously found lower replication capacity but more efficient virion secretion by genotype C than genotype B isolates. Virion secretion requires interaction between core particles and ENVELOPE proteins. In the present study, chimeric constructs between genotype B and genotype C clones were generated to identify the structural basis for differential virion secretion. In addition to dimeric constructs, we also employed 1.1mer constructs, where the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter drove pregenomic RNA transcription. Through transient transfection experiments in Huh7 cells, we found that exchanging the entire envelope gene or just its S region could enhance virion secretion by genotype B clones while diminishing virion secretion by genotype C. Site-directed mutagenesis established the contribution of genotype-specific divergence at codons 108 and 115 in the preS1 region, as well as codon 126 in the S region, to differential virion secretion. Surprisingly, exchanging the envelope gene or just its S region, but not the core gene or 3' S region, could markedly increase intracellular replicative DNA for genotype C clones but diminish that for genotype B, although the underlying mechanism remains to be clarified.
Assuntos
Vírus da Hepatite B/fisiologia , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/metabolismo , Liberação de Vírus , Replicação Viral , Linhagem Celular , Análise Mutacional de DNA , Genótipo , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Hepatócitos/virologia , Humanos , Mutagênese Sítio-Dirigida , Recombinação GenéticaRESUMO
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C causes prolonged chronic infection and increased risk for liver cancer than genotype B. Our previous work revealed lower replication capacity of wild-type genotype C2 than B2 isolates. HBV DNA replication is driven by pregenomic RNA, which is controlled by core promoter (CP) and further augmented by enhancer I (ENI) and enhancer II (ENII). DNA fragments covering these regulatory elements were amplified from B2 and C2 isolates to generate luciferase reporter constructs. As ENII is fully embedded in CP, we inserted HBV DNA fragments in the sense orientation to determine their combined activities, and in the antisense orientation to measure enhancer activities alone. Genotype B2 isolates displayed higher ENI+ENII+CP, ENII+CP, and ENII activities, but not ENI or ENI+ENII activity, than C2 isolates. The higher ENII+CP activity was partly attributable to 4 positions displaying genotype-specific variability. Exchanging CP region was sufficient to revert the replication phenotypes of several B2 and C2 clones tested. These results suggest that a weaker ENII and/or CP at least partly accounts for the lower replication capacities of wild-type C2 isolates, which could drive the subsequent acquisition of CP mutations. Such mutations increase genome replication and are implicated in liver cancer development.
Assuntos
Elementos Facilitadores Genéticos , Genótipo , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Variação Genética , Vírus da Hepatite B/isolamento & purificação , Vírus da Hepatite B/metabolismo , Humanos , Replicação ViralRESUMO
Replication of the 3.2-kb hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome is driven by the covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA in the nucleus, from which four classes of co-terminal RNAs are transcribed. Genome replication requires just the 3.5-kb pregenomic RNA, which is terminally redundant. Cloning the full-length HBV genome into a vector disrupts its continuity, thus preventing genome replication at the step of pregenomic RNA transcription. This can be overcome by converting the monomeric construct into a tandem dimer, yet the need to ligate two molecules of the HBV genome with vector DNA makes it inefficient and even unsuccessful. To overcome this problem we partially digested the monomeric construct with the unique restriction enzyme used for cloning, and dephosphorylated the linearized monomer before its ligation with another copy of the HBV genome. Alternatively, the monomer was linearized at another unique restriction site inside the HBV genome, followed by its dephosphorylation and ligation with another copy of the HBV genome linearized at the same site. These approaches of two-way molecular ligation greatly improved the efficiency of dimer formation with about 50% of the bacterial colonies screened harboring tandem dimers.