Abstract
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a distant relative of plant viroids in the animal world. Similar to plant viroids, HDV replicates its circular RNA genome using a double rolling-circle mechanism. Nevertheless, the production of hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg), which is indispensible for HDV replication, is a unique feature distinct from plant viroids, which do not encode any protein. Here the HDV RNA replication cycle is reviewed, with emphasis on the function of HDAg in modulating RNA replication and the nature of the enzyme involved.
Highlights
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) was first discovered in 1977 among a group of patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) [1]
Subsequent studies revealed that HDV is a defective virus, which requires a helper virus, HBV, to supply the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for virion assembly and infectivity [2,3,4]
Unlike other RNA satellite viruses which rely on the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) provided by the coexisting helper virus for genome replication, the dependence of HDV on HBV is limited to the supply of HBsAg for the production of HDV viral particle
Summary
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) was first discovered in 1977 among a group of patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) [1]. Subsequent studies revealed that HDV is a defective virus, which requires a helper virus, HBV, to supply the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for virion assembly and infectivity [2,3,4]. Similar to plant viroids which do not encode RdRp, HDV undergoes robust RNA replication autonomously once inside the cells. It is certain that HDV and plant viroids have to replicate their RNA genome using a cellular enzyme(s). Unlike plant viroids which do not encode any protein, HDV encodes a protein, hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg), which is intimately involved in its RNA replication. The nature of the enzyme involved in HDV RNA replication will be addressed
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