The hepatitis delta (δ) virus possesses a circular RNA

9 October 1986

journal article
research article
Published by Springer Nature in Nature

Vol. 323 (6088) , 558-560
https://doi.org/10.1038/323558a0

Abstract

Hepatitis delta (δ) virus (HDV), a satellite virus of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), causes a severe form of viral hepatitis in humans¹. Here we present evidence based on electron microscopy and electrophoretic behaviour that HDV contains a single stranded circular RNA molecule. This is the first animal virus identified with a circular RNA genome. Circular RNAs have only been found in plant viruses. We have obtained a partial complementary DNA clone representing ∼25% of the total genome of HDV. Analysis of this cDNA revealed similarity to two plant viruses that may explain the origin of the virus.

Keywords

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