Antibodies to pre-S and X determinants arise during natural infection with ground squirrel hepatitis virus. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The DNA sequence of the ground squirrel hepatitis virus (GSHV) genome predicts the existence of several proteins in addition to the major surface (S) and core antigens. These include the pre-S1 and pre-S2 proteins, initiated at sites within the open reading frame preceding and continuous with the coding region for the S gene product, and the X protein, the putative product of an independent reading frame. Using an antibody directed against a peptide predicted by codons 130 to 143 of the pre-S1 reading frame, we identified a 43-kilodalton product of the pre-S1 coding region in preparations of GSHV surface antigen purified from the sera of infected animals. In addition, by immunoprecipitation of S- and pre-S-specific in vitro translation products with ground squirrel sera obtained after GSHV infection, we determined that antibodies arise to both S and pre-S determinants. The antibody response to pre-S includes, in some cases, reactivity to pre-S1-specific domains and is not always associated with an anti-S response. Similarly, by production of the viral X gene product in vitro followed by immunoprecipitation with ground squirrel sera, we showed that antibodies to this viral gene product also arise during infection, indicating that X antigenic determinants are synthesized during viral infection and are recognized by the host immune system.

publication date

  • October 1, 1986

Research

keywords

  • Hepatitis Viruses
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Animal
  • Rodent Diseases
  • Viral Proteins

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC253915

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0022533836

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1128/JVI.60.1.177-184.1986

PubMed ID

  • 2427746

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 60

issue

  • 1