Cohesin inhibits HBV transcription independently on SMC5/6 complex. (A) Huh7 cells were transfected with siSMC3 and MC-HBV for 72 hours, SMC3 enrichment on cccDNA was detected by ChIP (n = 3), RT-qPCR and Western blot measured SMC5 expression. (B) MC-HBV was cotransfected with Flag-SMC3 and siSMC5 into Huh7 cells for 72 hours, and HBsAg, HBeAg, and pgRNA levels were measured as described in Figure 3A (n = 3). Data are presented as means ± SD. ∗P < .05, ∗∗P < .01. GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.