HBV genome amplification

Using DHBV as model, Tuttelmann and colleagues showed that the pool of transcriptional templates (minichromosomes) in the infected cell depends on reverse transcription, without need of semiconservative replication (Tuttleman et al., 1986) Rating=2 Concerning HBV, cccDNA was also shown to be amplified by an intracellular pathway (Wu et al. 1990).



Comments:
HBV amplify the numbers of active viral genome in the cell nucleus. This is a big difference with retroviruses which can rely on a single provirus. HBV might need several copies of it's genome to transcribe enough mRNA necessary for the infectious cycle, or might needs amplification in order to maintain an active pool nuclear genomes that are exposed to silencing/clearance.



This page has been funded in part by Hoffmann-La Roche image