Ribbon representation of a 2D section through a recombinant hepatitis B core protein capsid
UCD Conway Institute Fellow and Stokes lecturer, Dr Neil Ferguson and collaborators in the MRC Centre for Protein Engineering Cambridge, UK have used a new approach to advance the current understanding of the structure and interactions of molecules important to human hepatitis B virus replication.
Recently published in the Journal of Molecular Biology, this research will help revolutionise the study of the viral molecules and is a key step towards developing high resolution insights into the mechanisms of replication. This should, in turn, assist the identification of new therapeutic targets and help design more effective antiviral drugs to treat hepatitis B infections.
Over 350 million people have chronic hepatitis B virus infections, resulting in 1 million deaths each year and a 100-fold increased risk of liver cancer. Current therapies on the market have limited value in treating chronic infections and thus people have to endure lifelong infections. The development of new therapies has been hampered by our limited understanding of the mechanisms through which the virus replicates.
Commenting on the research, Dr Neil Ferguson said, ‘This work was an important stepping stone in helping us better understand the sequence of molecular events that allow the human hepatitis B virus to replicate. We used a divide and conquer strategy to break down the virus’s protein shell into its basic building blocks. This approach provided new insights, that would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve, using the existing approaches typically employed to study hepatitis B molecules.’
There are two major consequences of this research; in the short term, the team hopes to significantly increase their understanding of viral replication at the molecular level which will help design the next-generation of antiviral drugs. The long term aim is to find a cure for chronic hepatitis B infections.
To help realise his goal, Dr Ferguson has established collaborations with a number of international experts, all leaders in their respective fields, who are working collectively on solving this problem. ‘Success in this would have a profound impact on human health, which is the key driving force that motivates us to continue to tackle what is undoubtedly an extremely challenging problem,’ Dr Ferguson concluded.
Related links
