3 DISTINCT SOUTHERN BLOT HYBRIDIZATION PATTERNS OF HBV-DNA IN THE SERA OF HBV CARRIERS

The molecular species of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA of 44 sera taken from 25 HBV carriers were examined by Southern blot hybridization with a biotin-labeled HBV-DNA probe and classified into three patterns. Ty pe I consisted of two distinct bands of 4.0 kb and 3.2 kb. Type II con sisted of the 4.0 kb and 3.2 kb bands and a smear between these two ba nds. Type III showed a broad band below 4.0 kb. With endogenous HBV-DN A polymerase reaction, the smear disappeared and 4.0 kb and 3.2 kb ban ds appeared. After EcoRI digestion, the 4.0 kb band disappeared to for m a single band of 3.2 kb. These results suggest that the 4.0 kb and 3 .2 kb forms are a relaxed circular, fully double-stranded DNA and a li near, fully double-stranded DNA, respectively, and that the smear betw een 4.0 kb and 3.2 kb is formed from the sum of relaxed circular, part ially double-stranded DNAs with various length of plus strands. Compar ison between histological diagnosis and Southern blot hybridization pa tterns of 25 HBV carriers indicates that these three patterns are clos ely related to the degree of hepatitis.