Question

Hepatitis B virus genome is

• A. ssDNA
• B. dsDNA
• C. ssRNA
• D. partially dsDNA

Hint:

Hepatitis B is a unique DNA virus with a partially double-stranded genome. Always remember this special case in virology!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Know the nature of the Hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) belongs to the Hepadnaviridae family. It is a DNA virus, but its genome is unique compared to other DNA viruses.

Step 2: Structure of HBV genome.
The genome of HBV is:

• Circular
• Partially double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)
• One strand is complete (the minus strand)
• The other strand (plus strand) is incomplete, making it only partially double-stranded

Step 3: Evaluate the options.
Option (1): ssDNA – Incorrect, HBV is not single-stranded.
Option (2): dsDNA – Incorrect, it's not fully double-stranded.
Option (3): ssRNA – Incorrect, RNA viruses include HIV, but HBV is a DNA virus.
Option (4): partially dsDNA – Correct, matches the unique genome type of HBV.

Step 4: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (4) because HBV is the only known human virus with a partially double-stranded circular DNA genome.