Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Electron microscopy of hepatitis B core antigen synthesized in E. coli

Nature volume 296, pages 677–678 (1982)Cite this article

Abstract

DNA fragments from hepatitis B virus (HBV) have been inserted into plasmid vectors and cloned in Escherichia coli1, and some of these bacterial clones have been reported to synthesize hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg)1,2. Material from a derivative of one HBcAg-synthesizing clone is being evaluated in our laboratory and elsewhere3,4 as a serological reagent for use in various assays, including immune electron microscopy, to detect anti-HBcAg antibody. It has been shown by gel exclusion chromatography that the bacterial HBcAg is in an aggregated form3. We now report that the E. coli HBcAg preparation contains Small round particles similar in appearance to the viral cores previously seen in material obtained from HBV-infected humans5–7 and chimpanzees8.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Burrell, C. J., MacKay, P., Greenaway, P. J., Hofschneider, P. H. & Murray, K. Nature 279, 43–47 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Pasek, M. et al. Nature 282, 575–579 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Stahl, S., MacKay, P., Magazin, M., Bruce, S. A. & Murray, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).

  4. Peutherer, J. F., MacKay, P., Ross, R., Stahl, S. & Murray, K. Med. Lab. Sci. 38, 355–358 (1981).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Almeida, J. D., Waterson, A. P., Trowell, J. M. & Neale, G. Microbios 2, 145–153 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Deutsch, G. F. & Spence, L. Lancet i, 447 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Huang, S-N. & Groh, V. Lab. Invest. 29, 353–366 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Barker, L. F. et al. J. Virol. 14, 1552–1558 (1974).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Cohen, B. J. & Cossart, Y. E. J. clin. Path. 30, 709–713 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wrigley, N. G. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 24, 454–464 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virus Reference Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, 175 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5HT, UK

    B. J. Cohen & J. E. Richmond

Authors
  1. B. J. Cohen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. E. Richmond
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cohen, B., Richmond, J. Electron microscopy of hepatitis B core antigen synthesized in E. coli. Nature 296, 677–678 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296677a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296677a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing