RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Kazaks, Andris A1 Borisova, Galina A1 Cvetkova, Svetlana A1 Kovalevska, Larisa A1 Ose, Velta A1 Sominskaya, Irina A1 Pumpens, Paul A1 Skrastina, Dace A1 Dislers, AndrisYR 2004 T1 Mosaic hepatitis B virus core particles presenting the complete preS sequence of the viral envelope on their surface JF Journal of General Virology, VO 85 IS 9 SP 2665 OP 2670 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.79810-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB The sequence of the preS domain of the hepatitis B virus (HBV, genotype D) envelope was inserted into the major immunodominant region (MIR) of the C-terminally truncated HBV core (HBc) protein. In Escherichia coli, the HBc–preS fusion protein was partially soluble and did not produce particles. Co-expression of the wild-type HBc as a helper protein along with the fusion protein led to the formation of mosaic HBc particles that exhibited HBc, preS1 and preS2 antigenicity. Two alternative combinations of medium- and high-copy plasmids were used for co-expression of fusion and helper proteins, in an attempt to improve mosaic particle production. However, the preS fusion content of the particles remained the same in both expression combinations. In a third co-expression in which the modified HBc helper lacked aa 76–85 in the MIR, the incorporation level of HBc–preS fusion into the particles was noticeably lower. Purified chimeric particles were immunogenic in mice., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.79810-0