Hepatitis B virus polymerase antigen (HBV Polymerase)

Hepatitis B virus polymerase antigen refers to the multifunctional enzyme encoded by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) that is essential for viral replication. This protein, often called HBV polymerase or P protein, is a major target for antiviral therapies and plays several critical roles in the HBV life cycle. It consists of four main domains: Terminal Protein (TP), Spacer, Reverse Transcriptase (RT), and RNase H. The primary functions include reverse transcription, RNA binding/packaging, and RNase H degradation. It also inhibits host innate immunity, interfering with interferon signaling. All current direct antiviral drugs targeting hepatitis B act on this enzyme—specifically inhibiting its reverse transcriptase activity.

Other names

HBV PolymeraseP protein

Inhibition of reverse transcriptase activity