Restriction digests of the clone give the following sizes (kb): BamHI--4.5, 1.85, 1.35; HindIII--7.5; EcoRI--7.5; BglII/PstI--5.2, 1.35, 0.96. A BamHI digest cuts the insert into fragments of 1.85 kb and 1.35 kb. The 1.35 kb fragment contains coding sequences for HBsAg and most of region P. The 1.85 kb fragment encodes HBcAg and most of the X gene product. AM6 is available as ATCC 39630, 40101, 45020 and 45020D. Molecular clone of linearized hepatitis genome The 1350 bp BamHI fragment encodes both group and subtype-specific determinants of HBsAg. The virus was isolated from plasma (subtype adw) from an HBsAg-positive donor. DNA was extracted from purified Dane particles. The complete viral genome was linearized with BamHI and inserted into pBR322. |