Computer-aided studies on the spatial structure of the small hepatitis B surface protein

Hepatitis B surface proteins play a central role in the assembly of the virus and in the infection of the host cells. Whereas some functional aspects of the proteins have been studied in detail, little is known about their structure. Since X-ray analysis of these proteins appear unlikely in the near future, we chose to use a variety of computer-aided methods to improve the model for the major surface protein (SHBs). We here describe the model, discuss it in light of current results in the literature and discuss new functional implications of SHBs.