Hepatitis B virus genes and their expression in E. coli.

A composite DNA sequence of regions of hepatitis B virus, determined from a series of recombinant plasmids, reveals the genes for the surface antigen and the core antigen of the virus. The sequence of the core antigen shows it to be a DNA binding protein. The core antigen gene is expressed in Escherichia coli and when injected into rabbits the bacterial product induces antibodies which react with core antigen isolated from human sources.