Detection of a 5' UTR variation in the HCV genome after a long-term in vitro infection.
The TOFE lymphoid cell line from normal human bone marrow is susceptible to infection by a hepatitis C virus (HCV) serum strain. A sequence analysis of the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of HCV before and after long-term in vitro infection revealed one base substitution at position -158 (C > T) of the 5' UTR. We performed the direct sequencing of 5' UTR polymerase chain reaction-amplified sequences of the HCV genome: a) from the original serum-derived strain; b) from TOFE cell extracts 6 months post infection. This base substitution in the regulatory elements of the 5' UTR might be related to the ability of the virus to grow in cell culture.
Institute of Experimental Medicine, CNR, Roma, Italy.
M B
MB
Valli
L
L
Bertolini
S
S
Iacovacci
A
A
Ponzetto
G
G
Carloni
D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics
D012367:RNA, Viral