Inherent symmetry and flexibility in hepatitis B virus subviral particles

Science. 2024 Sep 13;385(6714):1217-1224. doi: 10.1126/science.adp1453. Epub 2024 Sep 12.

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a major global health challenge with massive morbidity and mortality. Despite a preventive vaccine, current treatments provide limited virus clearance, necessitating lifelong commitment. The HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) is crucial for diagnosis and prognosis, yet its high-resolution structure and assembly on the virus envelope remain elusive. Utilizing extensive datasets and advanced cryo-electron microscopy analysis, we present structural insights into HBsAg at a near-atomic resolution of 3.7 angstroms. HBsAg homodimers assemble into subviral particles with D2- and D4-like quasisymmetry, elucidating the dense-packing rules and structural adaptability of HBsAg. These findings provide insights into how HBsAg assembles into higher-order filaments and interacts with the capsid to form virions.

MeSH terms

  • Capsid* / chemistry
  • Capsid* / ultrastructure
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy
  • Datasets as Topic
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* / chemistry
  • Hepatitis B virus* / chemistry
  • Hepatitis B virus* / physiology
  • Hepatitis B virus* / ultrastructure
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / virology
  • Humans
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Viral Envelope / chemistry
  • Viral Envelope / ultrastructure
  • Virion* / chemistry
  • Virion* / ultrastructure
  • Virus Assembly

Substances

  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens