The hepatitis delta ( δ ) virus possesses a circular RNA

Hepatitis delta ( δ ) virus (HDV), a satellite virus of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), causes a severe form of viral hepatitis in humans 1 . Here we present evidence based on electron microscopy and electrophoretic behaviour that HDV contains a single stranded circular RNA molecule. This is the first...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1986-10, Vol.323 (6088), p.558-560
Main Authors: Kos, A, Dijkema, R, Arnberg, A. C, van der Meide, P. H, Schellekens, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Base Sequence
Cloning, Molecular
DNA - genetics
Hepatitis Delta Virus - genetics
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
Microscopy, Electron
multidisciplinary
RNA
RNA, Viral - genetics
Science
Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
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Summary:Hepatitis delta ( δ ) virus (HDV), a satellite virus of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), causes a severe form of viral hepatitis in humans 1 . Here we present evidence based on electron microscopy and electrophoretic behaviour that HDV contains a single stranded circular RNA molecule. This is the first animal virus identified with a circular RNA genome. Circular RNAs have only been found in plant viruses. We have obtained a partial complementary DNA clone representing ∼25% of the total genome of HDV. Analysis of this cDNA revealed similarity to two plant viruses that may explain the origin of the virus.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/323558a0