Figure 5.

HBV cccDNA and viral transcripts are detectable in the liver of AAV‐WMHBV‐infected squirrel monkeys. Squirrel monkeys that had been infected with AAV‐HBV or AAV‐WMHBV had viral DNA and RNA isolated from the liver. (A) HBV and WMHBV genome copies were measured from the total liver DNA of the indicated adult squirrel monkeys at weeks 4 and 14. The line indicates the limit of detection for the PCR assays, 10¹ GE/$\mathrm{\mu }$g of DNA. (B) RNA transcripts from liver tissue were measured by RT‐PCR. The line indicates the limit of detection for the PCR assay, 10¹ GE/$\mathrm{\mu }$g of RNA. (C) DNA from the liver DNA were analyzed by southern blot for viral DNA. Arrow highlighting the 2kB band indicates the predicted band size for cccDNA. (D) DNA from liver biopsies was treated with T5 nuclease to digest non‐supercoiled DNA and then analyzed by southern blot. cccDNA is resistant to T5 digestion. (E) In situ hybridization (RNAscope) for woolly monkey RNA in formalin‐fixed liver sections from squirrel monkey 36244, before and after infection with AAV‐WMHBV.