# MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE HEPATITIS B-TYPE VIRUSES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 1993 · $152,720

## Abstract

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV), a member of the hepadnavirus family,
causes acute and chronic hepatitis and is strongly associated with
hepatocellular carcinoma.  though a vaccine exists to prevent acquisition
of infection, no therapy exists for the 250 million individuals worldwide
who are already chronically infected.  Rational development of antiviral
drugs for such cases will require detailed knowledge of the mechanisms
of viral replication.  The purpose of this project is to deepen our
fundamental understanding of the mechanics of hepadnaviral replication.

Hepadnaviruses replicate via reverse transcription of an RNA
intermediate.  In this application studies are proposed to elucidate each
of the major steps in viral genomic replication, including (i) the
biogenesis of the RNA template; (ii) its encapsidation into subviral core
particles and (iii) the reverse transcription reactions that generate
first (-) and then (+) strand DNA, with emphasis on the initiation steps
in these reactions.  this will be done both through the study of mutant
hepadnaviral genomes in cell culture and through the establishment of in
vitro systems designed to reconstruct individual steps in replication.
Using similar approaches, additional studies will examine how the
products of reverse transcription are transported from cytoplasm to
nucleus in the establishment and maintenance of infection, and how HBV
replication is inhibited by coinfection with hepatitis delta virus,
another important human pathogen.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128195
- **Project number:** 2R01AI018782-12
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** KMH5K9V7S518
- **Principal Investigator:** DON GANEM
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $152,720
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1982-09-01 → 1998-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128195

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128195, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE HEPATITIS B-TYPE VIRUSES (2R01AI018782-12). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128195. Licensed CC0.

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