Methods for screening for inhibitors of the transcription-enhancing activity of the X protein of hepatitis B virus

摘要

Disclosed is a method for screening for inhibitors of Hepatitis B Virus pX activity. The method involves contacting a test compound with (I) the pX protein of HBV, (ii) a transcription factor comprising the bZIP domain, or fragments that comprise a minimal a bZIP domain, and (iii) an oligoduplex comprising a target DNA sequence of the transcription factor to form a test mixture. After incubating the test mixture under appropriate conditions and for a sufficient time to allow pX-mediated dimerization and DNA binding of the transcription factor to occur, the level of DNA binding of the transcription factor in each test mixture is determined. A test compound is considered to be any compound that causes a decrease in the level of DNA binding in the test mixture relative to the level of DNA binding in control mixtures.