Together with our institute colleagues from the group of Ulrike Protzer and many other collaborating laboratories, we identified a new anti-HBV host factor, ISG20. This protein is induced upon interferon treatment and works in concert with APOBEC3 proteins to degrade HBV’s cccDNA in the nucleus of infected cells. By using affinity purification mass spectrometry, our laboratory (Chris/Andreas) confirmed the targeting of APOBEC3-modified cccDNA mimetics by ISG20.
Beautiful story and great work spearheaded by Daniela Stadler!
Read more in the EMBO Reports paper: Interferon-induced degradation of the persistent hepatitis B virus cccDNA form depends on ISG20