The 3-D maps showed that in terms of molecular size, hepatitis B virus is enormous--nearly 10 times larger than a hemoglobin molecule. Like the human genome, the genome of the hepatitis B virus is formed by double-stranded DNA and enclosed by the capsid, which has icosahedral symmetry, resembling the geometric structure of a geodesic dome. The capsid itself is contained within an outer envelope formed by a lipid bilayer, similar to the membranes that enclose all human cells. The membrane of hepatitis B virus is studded with glycoprotein spikes, which bind to receptors on liver cells that mediate infection.

In hepatitis B-infected liver cells, transcription of the viral DNA produces a type of RNA that is packaged into capsids. Within the capsid, reverse transcription produces a single-strand DNA copy that serves as the template for second strand DNA synthesis. The resulting particles bud through membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum--the part of the cell involved with protein folding, assembly, and transport--to acquire the outer membrane envelope of the virus, a step that confers infectivity.


"In the transgenic mice, we found two types of capsids with different densities," Yeager said. "While both types of capsids were assembled as similar icosahedral structures, we found that the lower density capsids did not contain any viral DNA or viral RNA, while the higher density capsids contained viral DNA intermediates. It seems likely that these lower density capsids were released from the cell nucleus. These results may offer new clues how the virus replicates in vivo."

Other researchers of the study, titled "Native Hepatitis B Virions and Capsids Visualized by Electron Cryomicroscopy," were Kelly A. Dryden, Stefan F. Wieland, Christina Whitten-Bauer, and John L. Gerin.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute, headquartered in La Jolla, California, in 18 buildings on 40 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. It stands at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its research into immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. Established in its current configuration in 1961, it employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel.

Scripps Florida, a 364,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art biomedical research facility, will be built in Palm Beach County. The facility will focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. Palm Beach County and the State of Florida have provided start-up economic packages for development, building, staffing, and equipping the campus. Scripps Florida now operates with approximately 160 scientists, technicians, and administrative staff at 40,000 square-foot lab facilities on the Florida Atlantic University campus in Jupiter.

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