[Genetic transformation of somatic cells. XIV. Expression of gene coding for the human hepatitis B virus surface antigen in mammalian cells].

A set of recombinant plasmids with a gene encoding surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) is constructed. The plasmids were transfected by DEAE-dextran method into different lines of cultured cells and transient expression of the HBsAg gene was studied. The results indicate that: transcriptional enhancer of hepatitis B virus situated downstream from HBsAg gene is active in green monkey kidney cells (CVI), promoter of 5 LTR of bovine leukemia virus is trans-activated in the goat or calf cells infected with BLV. The results are discussed in the light of hypothesis on the role of transcriptional enhancers in determination of tissue-specificity of hepatitis B virus.