| First Author | Xu Z | Year | 2002 |
| Journal | J Virol | Volume | 76 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 2579-84 |
| PubMed ID | 11836439 | Mgi Jnum | J:74650 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2158909 | Doi | 10.1128/jvi.76.5.2579-2584.2002 |
| Citation | Xu Z, et al. (2002) Enhancement of hepatitis B virus replication by its X protein in transgenic mice. J Virol 76(5):2579-84 |
| abstractText | Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X gene encodes a multifunctional protein that can regulate cellular signaling pathways, interact with cellular transcription factors, and induce hepatocellular oncogenesis. In spite of its diverse activities, the precise role of the X protein in the viral life cycle of HBV remains unclear. To investigate this question, we have produced transgenic mice that carry either the wild-type HBV genome or a mutated HBV genome incapable of expressing the 16.5-kDa X protein. Our results indicate that while the X protein is not absolutely essential for HBV replication or its maturation in transgenic mice, it can enhance viral replication, apparently by activating viral gene expression. These results demonstrate a transactivation role of the X protein in HBV replication in transgenic mice. |
