HBV polymerase recruits the phosphatase PP1 to dephosphorylate HBc-Ser170 to complete encapsidation

The HBV core (HBc) protein contains an N-terminal domain (NTD) for capsid assembly and an arginine-rich C-terminal domain (CTD) for pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) encapsidation. Phosphorylation of the HBc CTD, especially at Ser162 and Ser170, is essential for nucleation with the polymerase (Pol) to initiate pgRNA encapsidation. As capsids mature, the HBc CTD undergoes dephosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of a phosphatase in the late stage of encapsidation, which remains to be determined. Using a C-S170 antibody specific for non-phosphorylated HBc-Ser170, we observed a transition from a phosphorylated to a dephosphorylated state during pgRNA packaging. The Pol-dependent dephosphorylation of HBc-Ser170 was confirmed by the substitution of one single amino acid at Val782 in the RNase H domain, which abolished the dephosphorylation of HBc-Ser170. Immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry analyses, and the protein structural analyses showed that the recruitment of the host phosphatase PP1 is dependent on the Pol-Val782 domain. This recruitment does not require HBc but does require Pol via epsilon RNA signal, suggesting that the Pol-pgRNA complex plays a key role in PP1 recruitment. Pol-pgRNA-PP1-mediated dephosphorylation of HBc-Ser170 is essential for the completion of pgRNA encapsidation and appears to be associated with late endosomes/multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Therefore, HBV Pol may play a dual role by initially bringing pgRNA to phosphorylated HBc and recruiting PP1 for later completion of RNA packaging into the capsids. These findings not only decipher the mechanism by which Pol-mediated dephosphorylation of HBc regulates pgRNA encapsulation, but also reveal the possibility of PP1 as a potential target for antiviral development.