Myristoylated PreS1‐domain of the hepatitis B virus L‐protein mediates specific binding to differentiated hepatocytes
Anja Meier, Stefan Mehrle, Thomas S. Weiss, Walter Mier, Stephan Urban – 5 December 2012 – Chronic infection with the human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global health problem and a main cause of progressive liver diseases. HBV exhibits a narrow host range, replicating primarily in hepatocytes. Both host and hepatocyte specificity presumably involve specific receptor interactions on the target cell; however, direct evidence for this hypothesis is missing.