Abstract
The discovery of 42 nm diameter, double-shelled HBsAg (Dane) particles in the sera of some HBV infected patients (19, 20, 392) consisting of an outer envelope of HBsAg determinants, an inner 27 nm diameter nucleocapsid possessing antigenically distinct HBcAg (20), and a small circular, partially double-stranded DNA genome (42, 46) suggests the Dane particle as a putative virion of HBV. Some of the physical properties of Dane particles are listed in Table 6. In addition, Dane particle cores possess an endogenous DNA polymerase activity (48), a protein kinase activity (54, 55, 409), a protease activity (54) and e antigen activity (401, 408). In attempts to characterize each of these HBV associated activities, various methods have been employed to separate and purify Dane particles free from serum contaminants and from the other HBsAg forms. Most studies have reported the existence of at least two major populations of Dane particles. Density equilibrium centrifugation in cesium chloride (CsCl) has resulted in Dane particle peaks at 1.20 and 1.25 g/ml (194). DNA polymerase activity was only found associated with the heavier of these two peaks, suggesting the presence of DNA in the heavier peak and its absence in the lighter Dane particle fractions.
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