TABLE 3.

Results of core particle assays with randomly selected HBcAg- or HBeAg-positive core gene mutants

Mutant	Detection of core particles on:
	Agarose gela	Sucrose gradientb
		HBcAg	HBc/eAg
None (WT)	+	+	+
A11-G10	+	+	+
A11-E8	+	(+)	−
A11-V13	+	+	+
A11-E14	(+)	+	+
E14-G10	−	(+)	−
T33-S35	+	+	+
L37-A41	+	(+)	(+)
R39-L31	+	+	+
A41-E43	+	+	+
E43-A41	−	(+)	−
P50-L-D32	+	+	+
P50-E46	+	+	+
P79-S81	+	−	+
L84-R-G63	−	−	ND
V85-G63	−	−	ND
R133-P135	+	+	+
S141-L140	+	+	+

^aSee Fig. 5. 

^bFractions were tested by an HBcAg ELISA (Fig. 6A) or an HBcAg or HBeAg dot blot (Fig. 6B). +, core particles detected (strong signal); (+), core particles detected (weak signal); −, core particles not detected; ND, not done.