TABLE 1.

Relative levels of HBV DNA species accumulated by WT and mutant NCs

Envelope	Core	Relative level of DNA speciesa:
		With MNase			Without MNase
		Core RC/SS	PF-RC/core RC	CCC/core RC	Core RC/SS	PF-RC/core RC	CCC/core RC
WT	WT	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	L60A	−	High	High	≤0.2b	≥3.6	≥3.9
	L95A	0.8	1.8	0.9	1.2	1.1	0.8
	K96A	0.4	4.3	4.9	0.9	2.3	3.3
	I126A	−	High	High	0.4	4.2	12.8
Defective	WT	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
	L60A	−	High	High	≤0.2b	≥2.6	≥2.4
	I126A	−	High	High	0.3	3.7	7.8

^aReported as the ratio of the indicated viral DNA species normalized to that obtained with the WT NC, which is set as 1.0. Average values from multiple experiments are shown. The signal of a particular DNA species (e.g., core RC DNA) from the HBc mutants was normalized first to that of the corresponding DNA species from the WT analyzed on the same gel. The normalized values were then used to calculate the ratios of the different DNA species shown. Note that for the L60A and I126A HBc mutants, no RC DNA could be detected when MNase was used (indicated by “−”). Therefore, the exact ratios of PF-RC DNA or CCC DNA to core RC DNA in those cases could not be calculated but were much higher than those of the WT (“high”).

^bDue to the very small amounts of core RC DNA detected from the L60A mutant even in the absence of MNase digestion, this value might be an overrepresentation. Therefore, the ratios of PF-RC DNA or CCC DNA to core RC DNA in those cases represent only the minima.