Fig. 3

Similar core-envelope interactions were detected between wild type and small loop mutants in HuH7 cells and HepG2-NTCP cells by immunoprecipitation assay and Western blot analysis. A, B Bead-associated anti-HBs antibody was used to immunoprecipitate intracellular lysate, followed by Western blot analyses using anti-preS2, anti-HBs and anti-core antibodies. Intracellular input. B While intracellular core protein signals were similar between WT and mutants (lanes 1–3), no core protein signal and virion secretion were observed in the extracellular compartment (lanes 6–7). L, M, and S: large, middle and small envelope protein