Inversely repeating integrated hepatitis B virus DNA and cellular flanking sequences in the human hepatoma-derived cell line huSP.

Among recombinant phages carrying integrated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA sequences cloned from the human hepatoma-derived cell line huSP, one clone, lambda hu-489, revealed some unusual features. The 2.25-kilobase Eco D fragment from the insert of this clone hybridized to the HBV DNA probe only and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The viral sequence, as well as a cellular flanking sequence, showed extensive rearrangement accompanied by inverted repetition. The Eco D fragment contained HBV DNA from the 5'-end region of gene S to the middle of gene X, followed by a long cellular flanking sequence. Moreover, a part of gene X was found inversely repeated at the head of the same gene S in a head-to-head configuration truncated by the same cellular sequence. Therefore, the same junction sequence of viral DNA and the cellular sequence was found at two different sites in the Eco D fragment in opposite polarities.