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Examination of the Polypeptides of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen

Hepatitis Reference Laboratory, Department of Bacteriology, Edinburgh University Medical School, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, U.K.

When the polypeptides of hepatitis B surface antigen were examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under a variety of conditions, anomalous results were found to be due to (i) variable and at times incomplete dissociation of polypeptides after boiling with 1% SDS and reducing agent, (ii) reaggregation of solubilized material under certain electrophoretic conditions and during laboratory manipulations, and (iii) the variable presence of additional components in hepatitis B surface antigen prepared from certain individual donors. When these factors were taken into account, two major components were consistently identified by discontinuous buffer polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, of apparent mol. wt. 60000 to 70000 and 12000 to 14000. However, in view of the demonstrated limitations of this technique in examining HB_sAg polypeptides, alternative methods are necessary to confirm the true mol. wt. of the unique virus-specified amino acid sequence present.

Received 22 March 1976; accepted 12 July 1976.