FIG. 2.

(A) Mutant core protein levels in transfected cells. Cells were transfected as indicated at the top of each lane and analyzed by Western blotting by using an HBV core-specific polyclonal rabbit antibody. Note that all mutants produce similar levels of core protein. (B) Replication competence of mutant capsids. Cells were transfected as indicated at the top of each lane. Mutants SSE and EEE were cotransfected with a polymerase expression plasmid (Pol+). Viral DNA was prepared from micrococcal nuclease-treated cell lysates and visualized by Southern blotting. Numbers on the right side indicate the positions of the 3.2-, 2.0-, and 1.2-kbp size marker fragments (M).