Initiation of protein-primed (-) strand DNA synthesis in hepatitis B virus (HBV) requires interaction of the viral polymerase with a -acting regulatory signal, designated epsilon (ε), located at the 5'-end of its pre-genomic RNA (pgRNA). Binding of polymerase to ε is also necessary for pgRNA encapsidation. While the mechanistic basis of this interaction remains elusive, mutagenesis studies suggest its internal 6-nt "priming loop" provides an important structural contribution. ε might therefore be considered a promising target for small molecule interventions to complement current nucleoside-analog based anti-HBV therapies. An ideal prerequisite to any RNA-directed small molecule strategy would be a detailed structural description of this important element. Herein, we present a solution NMR structure for HBV ε which, in combination with molecular dynamics and docking simulations, reports on a flexible ligand "pocket", reminiscent of those observed in proteins. We also demonstrate the binding of the selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) Raloxifene, Bazedoxifene, and a derivative to the priming loop.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10167916PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2021.1934544DOI Listing

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