P

Multifunctional enzyme that converts the viral RNA genome into dsDNA in viral cytoplasmic capsids. This enzyme displays a DNA polymerase activity that can copy either DNA or RNA templates, and a ribonuclease H (RNase H) activity that cleaves the RNA strand of RNA-DNA heteroduplexes in a partially processive 3'- to 5'-endonucleasic mode. Neo-synthesized pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) are encapsidated together with the P protein, and reverse-transcribed inside the nucleocapsid. Initiation of reverse-transcription occurs first by binding the epsilon loop on the pgRNA genome, and is initiated by protein priming, thereby the 5'-end of (-)DNA is covalently linked to P protein. Partial (+)DNA is synthesized from the (-)DNA template and generates the relaxed circular DNA (RC-DNA) genome. After budding and infection, the RC-DNA migrates in the nucleus, and is converted into a plasmid-like covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). The activity of P protein does not seem to be necessary for cccDNA generation, and is presumably released from (+)DNA by host nuclear DNA repair machinery.