Separation and crystallization of T = 3 and T = 4 icosahedral complexes of the hepatitis B virus core protein

The icosahedral nucleocapsid of human hepatitis B virus is a homopolymer of the dimeric capsid protein also known as hepatitis B core antigen or HBcAg. Purified capsid protein obtained from an Escherichia coli expression system was reassembled into a mixture of T = 3 and T = 4 icosahedral particles consisting of 90 and 120 dimers, respectively. The two types of capsid were separated on a preparative scale by centrifugation through a sucrose gradient. In addition to this heterogeneity, the capsid protein has three cysteines, one of which has a great propensity for forming disulfide bonds between the two subunits, forming a dimer. To eliminate heterogeneity arising from oxidation, alanines were substituted for the cysteines. T = 3 and T = 4 capsids crystallized under similar conditions. Crystals of T = 3 capsids diffracted to approximately 8 A resolution; crystals of T = 4 capsids diffracted to 4 A resolution.