Table 1.

Chimeric HBcAg capsids and Qβ derivatives used in this study

A HBcAg capsids*	Amino acid sequence starting from position 71
	71	76				81	86
Natural HBcAg	WVGGN	LED			PI	SRDLV	VSYVN
II-116	WVGGN	LEDPAFRAQD			PI	SRDLV	VSYVN
S2-16	WVGGN	LED	HDHVDPAFRYVDH		- -	- - - - -	- - - VN
B Qβ derivatives†	Amino acid sequence starting from position 146
	146	151	156	161	/	196	201	206
Natural Qβ	KPDPV	IPDPP	IDPPP	GTGKY	/	QPREF	DVALK	D	LLGN
Qβ 18-25	KPDPV	IPDPP	IDPPP	GTGKY	/	QPREF	DVALK	D PAFRAQD	LLGN
Qβ Kpn	KPDPV	IPDPA FR (Stop)

Bold, newly introduced sequences; DPAFR, immunodominant epitope derived from the preS1 domain of HBsAg; —–, compensatory deletion. 

^*Refs. 16, 17, and 34. 

^†Refs. 18 and 19.