Fig. 4.

Schematic representation of cccDNA-bound histones acetylation status and the recruitment of chromatin modifying enzymes onto the viral minichromosome in relation to viral replication and HBx status. In cells replicating an HBx mutant HBV, cccDNA-bound histones are hypoacetylated, the recruitment of the p300 acetyltransferase is severely impaired, whereas the recruitment of the histone deacetylases hSirtl and HDAC1 is increased. This behavior is similar to what is observed in the later phase (96–144 h) of the in vitro viral replication cycle in our model system and mimicks the situation found in the liver of anti-HBe patients with low viremia (30).