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World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2014; 20(18): 5435-5441
Published online May 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i18.5435
Hepatitis B virus genetic mutations and evolution in liver diseases
Tao Shen, Xin-Min Yan
Tao Shen, Xin-Min Yan, Institute of Basic and Clinical Medicine, Center of Clinical Molecular Biology, Provincial Key Laboratory for Birth Defects and Genetic Diseases, the First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Affiliated Hospital of Kumning Science and Technology University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan Province, China
Tao Shen, Medical Science College of Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, Yunnan Province, China
Author contributions: Shen T reviewed the literature and wrote the manuscript; Yan XM revised the manuscript.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81160352; The Health Bureau of Yunnan Province, No. D-201203 (in part); The Science and Technology Department of Yunnan Province, No. 2013HB084 (in part); Special fund of Science and Technology Department of Yunnan Province, No. 2012WS0072 (in part); and The Hospital Science Foundation of the First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province (2007) (in part)
Correspondence to: Shen Tao, Associate Professor, Center of Clinical Molecular Biology, Provincial Key Laboratory for Birth Defects and Genetic Diseases, the First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Affiliated Hospital of Kumning Science and Technology University, 157 JinBi Road, Kunming 650032, Yunnan Province, China. ts902@126.com
Telephone: +86-871-63638453 Fax: +86-871-3648772
Received: October 28, 2013
Revised: January 2, 2014
Accepted: February 16, 2014
Published online: May 14, 2014
Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) belongs to the genus Orthohepadnavirus of the Hepadnaviridae family and is approximately 3.2 kb in length. Owing to a lack of proofreading capacity during reverse transcription and a high replication rate, HBV exhibits as quasispecies. To detect the genetic mutations of HBV, many methods with different sensitivities and throughputs were developed. According to documentary records, HBV mutation and evolution were important vial parameters in predicting disease progression and therapeutic outcome. In this review, we separately discussed the correlation between HBV genomic mutations in four open reading frames and liver disease progression. Since some of the results were controversial from different laboratories, it remains to be seen whether functional analyses will confirm their role in modifying the course of infection.

Keywords: Hepatitis B virus, Mutation, Genotype, Liver disease, Risk markers

Core tip: Understanding the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is crucial for early diagnosis and optimized treatment. In this review, we reviewed the technologies being used in the evolutionary and mutational analysis of HBV and introduced a high throughput method of deep sequencing for HBV (ultra-high-throughput next generation sequencing technology). And then, we separately discussed the correlation between HBV genomic mutations in four open reading frames and liver disease progression. Since some of the results were controversial from different laboratories, it remains to be seen whether functional analyses will confirm their role in modifying the course of infection.