Identification of a novel sequence at the 3' end of the GB virus B genome.
GB virus B (GBV-B) is a virus of the family Flaviviridae that infects small primates (Saguinus sp. [tamarins]) and shows similarities to hepatitis C virus (HCV) in genome organization, protein function, tissue tropism, and pathogenicity. This suggests the possibility of using tamarins infected by GBV-B or GBV-B/HCV chimeric viruses as a surrogate animal model of HCV infection. To achieve the construction of such chimeric viruses, it is essential to produce a complete and infectious GBV-B genomic RNA. We have identified a novel sequence at the 3' end of the GBV-B genome and show that it can be arranged in a secondary structure resembling that of the 3' end of the HCV genome, which is known to be essential for infectivity.
Sbardellati
A
A
Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare P. Angeletti, 00040 Pomezia, Rome, Italy.
Scarselli
E
E
Tomei
L
L
Kekulé
A S
AS
Traboni
C
C
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012452:Saguinus
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral