Molecular questioning of potential efficacy of epsilon targeted antiviral treatment option for Domestic Cat Hepadnavirus

Abstract

We aimed to elucidate the molecular and secondary structure of DCH to predict the development of antiviral drugs. We performed a series of polymerase chain reactions to obtain complete sequences of DCH. The complete sequences were processed using computational tools. The phylogenetic analysis showed that our sequences belong to one clade, but four are not part of this monophyletic clade. A recombination detection program identified four cases as potential recombination events. The secondary structure of the cis-acting RNA region (ε) was evaluated and revealed motifs similar to those found in HBV. This similarity highlights the potential for new-generation therapeutics in this region.