New genotype of hepatitis C virus in South Africa.
Partial nucleotide sequences in the core region of the hepatitis C viral genome were determined by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction, in a patient with chronic hepatitis from South Africa. These nucleotide sequences showed a low degree of homology with known types of HCV: the degree of homology between the nucleotide sequences of these clones with HC-J1, J4, J6, J7, Tr, and Eb-1 were 86.1-87.3%, 87.3-87.9%, 83.0-83.9%, 81.1-82.0%, 81.0-82.2%, and 82.8-83.4%, respectively, and that the deduced amino acid sequence homologies between these clones and HC-J1, J4, H6, J7, Tr, and Eb-1 were 90.7-91.6%, 89.7-91.6%, 91.6-93.5%, 90.7-91.6%, 81.5-82.4%, and 89.2-90.2%, respectively. The nucleotide sequence homologies of these clones with HC-J1, J4, J6, J7, Tr, and Eb-1 were very low, compared to those between the same genotype. Further comparison using molecular evolutionary methods suggested that this sequences should be classified in a new genotype.
Ohno
T
T
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
Mizokami
M
M
Tibbs
C J
CJ
Ohba
K
K
Suzuki
K
K
Wu
R R
RR
Nouri-Aria
K T
KT
Williams
R
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction