[Insertion of TC motif into hepatitis B virus core protein c/e1 site does not affect the expression of S and e antigen]. 
To investigate whether insertion of TC motif into hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein c/e1 site affects the expression of S and e antigen.  Different oligonucleotides encoding TC motif were inserted into the c/e1 site of the core gene of a 1.3 copy wild-type HBV genome vector.  HepG2 cells were divided into several groups of cells to transiently transfect with the wild-type and mutant HBV vectors, respectively.  In each group, the expression level of core protein inside cells was detected by western blotting, and the levels of S and e antigen in culture medium were analyzed by ELISA assay.  Western blotting showed that these TC-tagged core proteins were expressed at similar level of wild-type one.  ELISA assay indicated that the level of S and e antigen in culture medium of different groups were not significantly different.  Insertion of TC motif into HBV core protein c/e1 site does not interference with the expression of viral protein encoded by HBV genome.