Fig 8.

Detection of protein-linked but not PF HBV DNA from NCs. HBV DNA was extracted by phenol-chloroform extraction from the induced HepAD38 cell lysate or sucrose gradient fractions prepared from the lysate without MNase pretreatment. To extract PF DNA (from which the covalently linked RT protein was removed) in the NCs, NCs were disrupted with SDS (but without PK digestion) before phenol extraction (odd-numbered lanes). To extract both protein-linked and PF DNA, the lysate or fractions were treated with SDS and PK before phenol extraction (even-numbered lanes). EPR was also performed with the lysate or the fractions before DNA extraction for the samples shown in lanes 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, and 12. All samples were then resolved on native agarose gels, and viral DNA was detected by Southern blotting.