How do Hepadnaviruses replicate?
Hepadnaviruses replicate through an RNA intermediate (which they transcribe back into cDNA using reverse transcriptase). The reverse transcriptase becomes covalently linked to a short 3- or 4-nucleotide primer.
What causes Hepadnavirus?
Abstract. Hepadnaviruses are a group of DNA viruses that infect hepatocytes and may cause liver injury and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in mammals and birds. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the prototype of the family of hepadnaviruses that causes acute and chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis, and HCC in human beings.
Which hepatitis virus is a hepadnavirus?
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a member of the hepadnavirus group, double-stranded DNA viruses which replicate, unusually, by reverse transcription. Hepatitis B virus is endemic in the human population and hyperendemic in many parts of the world.
Where are hepadnavirus genome produced?
HEPADNAVIRUS GENOME REPLICATION The predominant form is 3,200 bp closed circular (form I) DNA which is found exclusively in a free form in the cell nucleus (71, 72). Several viral DNA forms are present in liver cell cytoplasm, and these appear to be contained in particles with DNA polymerase activity (72-74).
What are the biological properties of Hepadnaviruses?
Hepadnaviruses have small, enveloped, spherical virions (virus particles) that are about 40–48 nm (1 nm = 10−9 metre) in diameter. The capsid (the protein shell surrounding the viral nucleic acids) contains a circular double-stranded DNA molecule with a single-stranded DNA region and a DNA-dependent DNA polymerase.
Are Hepadnaviruses retroviruses?
Retrovirus RNA serves as a template for reverse transcriptase and is copied into DNA. Hepadnaviruses are a family of viruses which can cause liver infections in humans and animals.
Is there a vaccine for Hepadnavirus?
Two different vaccines based on hepadnaviral core particles have now been tested in clinical trials and were found to be safe, and improved dosing will likely provide more robust demonstration of effectiveness in humans.
What is the meaning of HBeAg?
Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is a small polypeptide that exists in a free form in the serum of individuals during the early phase of hepatitis B infection, soon after hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) becomes detectable. Serum levels of both HBeAg and HBsAg rise rapidly during the period of viral replication.
Which of the following viruses are oncogenic?
Oncogenic DNA viruses include EBV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), human papillomavirus (HPV), human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), and Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Oncogenic RNA viruses include, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1).
Which of the following viruses is a DNA virus that infects liver cells?
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects more than 300 million people worldwide and is a common cause of liver disease and liver cancer. HBV, a member of the Hepadnaviridae family, is a small DNA virus with unusual features similar to retroviruses.
Is HBV a retrovirus?
Hepatitis B is one of a few known non-retroviral viruses which use reverse transcription as a part of its replication process.
Can I pass hepatitis B to my partner?
Anyone who lives with or is close to someone who has been diagnosed with chronic Hepatitis B should get tested. Hepatitis B can be a serious illness, and the virus can be spread from an infected person to other family and household members, caregivers, and sexual partners.
What are the hallmarks of the hepadnavirus replication cycle?
Hallmarks of the hepadnavirus replication cycle are the formation of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and the reverse transcription of a pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) in core particles leading to synthesis of the relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) genome. cccDNA, the template for viral RNA transcription, …
What is the size of the hepadnavirus virus?
Hepadnavirus, any virus belonging to the family Hepadnaviridae. Hepadnaviruses have small, enveloped, spherical virions (virus particles) that are about 40–48 nm (1 nm = 10−9 metre) in diameter.
What is the function of the polymerase in a hepadnavirus?
Hepadnavirus. The activity of the polymerase is essential for the virus’s replication. Hepadnaviruses are further distinguished by the use of reverse transcriptase for replication and by an abundance of the soluble protein HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen ).
How do viruses make dsDNA?
This is then translocated to the nucleus, where the partially double stranded DNA is ‘repaired’ by the viral polymerase to form a complete circular dsDNA genome (called covalently-closed-circular DNA or cccDNA). The genome then undergoes transcription by the host cell RNA polymerase and the pregenomicRNA (pgRNA) is sent out of the nucleus.