Genomic typing of hepatitis C viruses present in China.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genomic clones were obtained from the serum of Chinese HCV carriers using a polymerase chain reaction-based approach. Consensus sequences were derived from (1) the structural region (nt 1-1543) for one carrier, (2) the hypervariable region V (nt 1156-1233) from four carriers and (3) region V3 from four carriers. Region V3, located in the nonstructural domain NS5 (nt 7066-7137), has been previously shown to be a particularly good marker for the genomic typing of HCV isolates [Inchauspe et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88 (1991) 10292-10296]. Comparison of these sequences with sequences from geographically distinct HCV isolates indicates that Chinese HCV strains are closely related to, though distinguishable from, Japanese prototype strains. One amino acid motif, GGAA, located in region V, was found to be conserved only among Chinese isolates. This may define a new subgroup among HCV isolates.
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Laboratory of Virology and Parasitology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York 10021.
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Li
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Prince
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Inchauspe
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D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase