Sequence analysis of hepatitis GB virus C (GBV-C) isolates from 14 patients.
In 1995, a new human hepatitis virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae was described and designated hepatitis GBV-C. To investigate variations within the genome of GBV-C and to study the relationship of GBV-C to GBV-A/B or hepatitis C virus (HCV), we established a detection system using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the putative helicase region (NS3). So far, isolates derived from 14 different GBV-C-positive sera were analyzed (GBV-C/S3-36), showing 80.1-89.4% (mean: 85%) identical nucleotides. The deduced amino acid sequences revealed 97.3% homology. Nucleotide sequences of GBV-C/S3-36 revealed about 60% identity to GBV-A as well as to HCV, but only 56% identity to GBV-B. Amino acid sequences revealed 73.4 and 68.6% similarity to GBV-A and GBV-B, respectively, but a slightly higher percentage of 78.5% to HCV sequences. Thus, according to the putative GBV-C helicase sequence, a subtyping of GBV-C into different genotypes may be necessary.
Seipp
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Wahl
R
R
Mueller
H
H
Stremmel
W
W
Theilmann
L
L
Goeser
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid