Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China
Abstract The characteristics of a large sample size of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) have not been extensively explored in China. Voluntary blood donors who were HBsAg-negative/HBV NAT-positive (HBsAg−/HBV NAT+) were identified by blood screening and recrui...
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Nature Portfolio
2022-05-01
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Series: | Scientific Reports |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12288-0 |
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author | Min Wang Ru Xu Jieting Huang Qiao Liao Xi Tang Zhengang Shan Huishan Zhong Xia Rong Yongshui Fu |
author_facet | Min Wang Ru Xu Jieting Huang Qiao Liao Xi Tang Zhengang Shan Huishan Zhong Xia Rong Yongshui Fu |
author_sort | Min Wang |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract The characteristics of a large sample size of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) have not been extensively explored in China. Voluntary blood donors who were HBsAg-negative/HBV NAT-positive (HBsAg−/HBV NAT+) were identified by blood screening and recruited. Blood samples were tested for HBV serologic markers, viral loads, and PCR to identify OBI. HBV full-length genomes were obtained by amplifying two fragments using nested PCR. The characterization of OBI strains was based on sequence analyses compared with HBsAg+ strains obtained from the same donor population. Of the 50 full-length genomes of 172 identified OBI strains, 33 were classified as genotype B (OBIB) and 17 strains as genotype C (OBIC). Significantly higher nucleotide variabilities were observed in the Pre-S2/S promoter region (SP2) and core upstream regulatory sequence (CURS) in OBIB than in their HBsAg+ controls (P < 0.05). Both OBIB and OBIC showed higher amino acid (aa) variabilities in Pol and Pre-S/S regions than their controls (P < 0.05). In addition, 19 novel OBI-related mutations were found spanning the four open reading frames (ORFs) of the HBV genome. Four novel deletions and one novel insertion were also found in OBIC strains. Several novel OBI-related mutations spanning the four ORFs of the virus were identified by characterizing a large sample size of the full-length OBI genome, which may affect the production of HBsAg and contribute to the occult infection of HBV. |
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language | English |
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spelling | doaj.art-70cbb46f00604352b77d28e7341a8ffd2022-12-22T03:22:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-05-0112111110.1038/s41598-022-12288-0Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in ChinaMin Wang0Ru Xu1Jieting Huang2Qiao Liao3Xi Tang4Zhengang Shan5Huishan Zhong6Xia Rong7Yongshui Fu8Institute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Foshan First People′s HospitalInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterInstitute of Clinical Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou Blood CenterAbstract The characteristics of a large sample size of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) have not been extensively explored in China. Voluntary blood donors who were HBsAg-negative/HBV NAT-positive (HBsAg−/HBV NAT+) were identified by blood screening and recruited. Blood samples were tested for HBV serologic markers, viral loads, and PCR to identify OBI. HBV full-length genomes were obtained by amplifying two fragments using nested PCR. The characterization of OBI strains was based on sequence analyses compared with HBsAg+ strains obtained from the same donor population. Of the 50 full-length genomes of 172 identified OBI strains, 33 were classified as genotype B (OBIB) and 17 strains as genotype C (OBIC). Significantly higher nucleotide variabilities were observed in the Pre-S2/S promoter region (SP2) and core upstream regulatory sequence (CURS) in OBIB than in their HBsAg+ controls (P < 0.05). Both OBIB and OBIC showed higher amino acid (aa) variabilities in Pol and Pre-S/S regions than their controls (P < 0.05). In addition, 19 novel OBI-related mutations were found spanning the four open reading frames (ORFs) of the HBV genome. Four novel deletions and one novel insertion were also found in OBIC strains. Several novel OBI-related mutations spanning the four ORFs of the virus were identified by characterizing a large sample size of the full-length OBI genome, which may affect the production of HBsAg and contribute to the occult infection of HBV.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12288-0 |
spellingShingle | Min Wang Ru Xu Jieting Huang Qiao Liao Xi Tang Zhengang Shan Huishan Zhong Xia Rong Yongshui Fu Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China Scientific Reports |
title | Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China |
title_full | Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China |
title_fullStr | Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China |
title_full_unstemmed | Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China |
title_short | Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in China |
title_sort | molecular characteristics of the full length genome of occult hepatitis b virus from blood donors in china |
url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12288-0 |
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