New variant groups identified from HGV isolates.
We have determined the primary sequence of the 5' noncoding region (5' NCR) and putative helicase regions (NS-3) of hepatitis G virus (HGV) and GB virus C (GBV-C) that were isolated in Japan from suspected cases of nonA-nonB and/or nonA-nonB-nonC viral hepatitis by using RT-PCR, and we compared the newly isolated sequences with three established isolates. The addition of a "G" residue was found at the 5' terminus of all 8 Japanese isolates. These isolates were more clearly distinguished from the prototype viruses by comparison with the 5' NCR sequence than by comparison with the NS-3 region. Our results suggested that at least three distinct genomic variants of HGV exist. Genotyping of HGV by using RT-PCR based on the sequence of the 5' NCR seems highly feasible.
Katayama
K
K
Basic Research Division, BioMedical Laboratories, Inc., Saitama, Japan.
Fukushi
S
S
Kurihara
C
C
Ishiyama
N
N
Okamura
H
H
Hoshino
F B
FB
Oya
A
A
D001483:Base Sequence; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data